Wandering Eyes

By Brigette Solomon Junior driver Harrison Orange had another successful day bringing up a winning driving double with Michael House-trained runners at Otaki’s grass track meeting yesterday. “It was really good to get another double, today’s was probably more satisfying because both won outright whereas Son Of Patrick was promoted up on Thursday,” said Orange. Orange’s first win of the day came when Fabricate took out the Kidz Kartz 19th January @ Otaki Mobile Pace. In a well rated drive, Fabricate found the lead easily where she remained throughout, only briefly challenged at the top of the home straight by Call Security. The Vincent mare was still travelling well though and pulled clear in the final stages to win by 1.5 lengths with the placings filled by Call Security and The Elite Athlete. “Heading into the race I thought Fabricate should be able to get the lead and she found the front easily today and had it pretty easy in running too,” said Orange, “she had been a little keen in front on Thursday but today she was really relaxed and went a nice race.” The success continued with Orange and House next taking out the Harness Racing @ Otaki January 19th & 21st Mobile Pace with Megyn Kelly who made it back to back wins after scoring her maiden victory at Tauherenikau on Thursday. “I thought she’d be a good chance again today,” said Orange, “she was a bit more tractable today and having one alongside her all the way up the straight helped.” Megyn Kelly was a length off the starting arm when the race began leaving Orange little option but to settle the mare back in the early stages. Once the field settled into running, Orange took the mare three wide at the 1400 metre mark and went forward finding the lead with 1000 metres left to run. Although she put in a few rough strides throughout the straight, Meghan Kelly still looked to have running in her and she battled on well when the challenges came to win by half a length. Alongside his winners, Orange also placed third on the house trained Stickifingers in Past Members Memorial Pace. “She went well, we pulled her hopples up a couple of holes as she broke on Thursday and she paced well today,” said Orange, “it was always going to be hard coming off the back of What A Minx who won, but she still went a good race.” It has been a positive start to the new year with the Auckland-based junior driver, who is employed by Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan, having brought up four wins, and a third placing from just 10 drives. View the full article

Talented northerner Tide And Time (NZ) (Time Test) will make her southern debut for Krystal Williams at Reefton on Wednesday, taking on the Vernon and Vazey 0800 Truck Parts Reefton Cup (1400m). Tide And Time was previously in the care of Williams’ father Kenny Rae, of whom she trained in partnership with until the beginning of this season. The daughter of Time Test made the long journey south to Williams’ base at Burnham off the back of a tidy trial placing at Ruakaka in mid-December. “She came down just before Christmas,” Williams said. “I was part of the early stages in her training, the breaking in and things like that. She’s been a lovely horse right from the start that was always going to take a bit of time, but she’s a really nice staying prospect.” The mare will look to continue her strong form into a new campaign, having won or placed in her last four starts, including taking out a competitive ITM/GIB 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) back in July. Highly-rated galloper Will Power Lad has compressed the handicap, meaning the remainder of the field will carry 54kgs, with Leah Hemi engaged to ride Tide And Time out of the ace barrier. “It’s a fresh-up run for her and we’ve got bigger plans later on into March, but we should see a nice run from her,” Williams said. “She’s an honest horse and tries her heart out.” Rageese filly Sheaintsopeachy (NZ) (Rageese) will chase her elusive maiden in the Greg Daly Real Estate (1400m), having narrowly missed to Lillian at Ashburton before taking on a competitive Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) last start. “She got the wobbles a little bit at the end of that race (NZB Insurance Stakes), stepping up to 1400m and the heavy track was a bit tricky,” Williams said. “It’s been so far, so good since then with her, the track should suit her a lot better at Reefton.” Stablemates Charm Manhattan (NZ) (Charm Spirit) and Manali (NZ) (Time Tes) will go head-to-head in the Fahey Contracting (1020m), the former coming off a third-placed effort at Omoto on Sunday. “I was happy with that run, he drew wide and we’re unlucky to get another bad draw (11) on Wednesday, but the distance suit him and so will the track,” Williams said. “Both him and Sheaintsopeachy are coming to the end of their campaigns, they’ll have a nice break after this.” Another progeny of Time Test, Manali pleased his trainer on debut at Timaru, after a wide draw forced him four-wide without cover early. “I have a lot of time for this horse, he has solely come to the Coast for the experience and to grow up a little bit, I think I’m going to have a nice horse in the future,” she said. “He went into that run with no trial after they kept being called off with a lack of numbers, he drew wide and was very green, so I was very happy with the way he stuck on and ran with little knowledge. “He’s come here, he’s eating everything and he’s probably been the best behaved horse of the team we have here, so I’m hoping to see a more mature run from him.” Williams and her team of horses will continue onto the Kumara meeting on Saturday, one that holds fond memories with stable stalwart The Buffer having won the iconic Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m) two years ago. “The people over here are very accommodating, the clubs at all of these country meetings really look after you,” she said. “I do it because my kids enjoy it, and until they’re old enough to say they don’t want to do it anymore, I’ll keep coming, because that’s what we do as our holiday even though we’ve got a big team of horses. “It’s what they’ve always known, it’s what we’ve always done, so we just make the most of a working holiday really.” View the full article

Gulfstream Park and the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association reached an agreement supporting changes to existing state legislation that enables the live racing schedule to become independent of the venue's pari-mutuel license.View the full article

Trainer Carlos Lopez was suspended 18 months and fined $12,500 for a pair of positives for the banned vasodilator diisopropylamine found in two horses that ran 1-2 in a claiming race last February at Mahoning Valley Racecourse.View the full article

A GoFundMe campaign has been established for the Fair Grounds' assistant track photographer Jan Brubaker after she broke her femur in a freak accident Sunday at the New Orleans track. The incident happened when a horse broke through the gate and struck Brubaker prior to the fourth race. She is currently receiving treatment at University Medical Center in New Orleans and had surgery Monday. At midday, the Hodges account on X posted an update from Brubaker's daughter, saying her mother was out of surgery and in PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) and doing 'great' and that they were waiting for a hospital bed in a room. Brubaker has been working for the Hodges family since 2020. Hodges Photography is the long-time licensee at the New Orleans oval. Update on Jan from her daughter: She's out of surgery and in PACU. She did great – we're waiting on a bed in a room now. pic.twitter.com/uQ2KsE8NvY — Hodges Photography (@hodgesphoto) January 6, 2025 The post GoFundMe Page Established For Injured Fair Grounds Photographer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Winter weather in Bensalem, Pa., continues to wreak havoc on live racing at Parx Racing as the track canceled its Jan. 6 card because of snow. A winter storm in Florence, Ky., forced Turfway Park to cancel racing for Jan. 9. View the full article

Paul Oreffice, a partner in both Dogwood Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners who was in on Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Summer Squall and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice, died Dec. 26 at the age of 97.View the full article

We're inside the 16-week mark for the May 3 GI Kentucky Derby. That's roughly 168,000 minutes until post time, but who's counting? The initial Top 12 rankings are largely based on 2-year-old form, but a speculative element is baked into the equation with an eye toward projecting how these still-developing contenders will blossom over the winter and early spring. 1) FIRST RESORT (c, Uncle Mo–Fair Maiden, by Street Boss) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty. Lifetime Record GSW, 4-2-1-0, $338,671. Last start: WON Nov. 30 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. This Godolphin homebred by Uncle Mo showcased his big, bounding stride when running away with the 1 1/16-miles GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 30, an effort that rates higher on the “how he did it” scale than the winning margin (2 1/4 lengths) and Beyer Speed Figure (88) might suggest. This Eoin Harty trainee broke his maiden sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs in the Ellis Park mud July 5, then won an internal pace battle before getting collared in the late stages of the 6 1/2-furlong GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 10. Forced to rate after being bumped at the break of the ultra-competitive GI Summer S. over a mile on the Woodbine grass Sept. 14, First Resort still managed fourth behind a tightly bunched first three after advancing between runners in upper stretch. Bettors let First Resort drift to 6-1 in the Kentucky Jockey Club S., and he broke fluidly to press a 21-1 speedster (a next-out Fair Grounds allowance winner at 1-5 odds) through moderate opening quarter-mile splits of :24.56 and :24.74 before assuming command in hand three-eighths out. Taking the better part of the next sixteenth to gradually uncoil, this colt repulsed two mild challengers off the far turn, then opened up late to swat back a more serious bid from the onrushing, odds-on favorite. After that slow early going, First Resort hit his best stride through a fourth-quarter split clocked in :23.28 and a final sixteenth in 6:10. Those are the fastest such finishing fractions out of eight Derby qualifying stakes at 1 1/16 miles so far in 2024-25. Since the 2022-23 campaign, only two other Derby qualifying stakes at 1 1/16 miles have yielded final sixteenths of :6.10 or faster. 2) SANDMAN (c, Tapit–Distorted Music, by Distorted Humor) O-D. J. Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables; B-Lothenbach Stables Inc (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. Sales history: $1,200,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR. Lifetime record: GSP, 5-2-0-1, $164,595. Last start: WON Dec. 13 Oaklawn AOC. This $1.2 million OBSMAR colt by Tapit is the only Derby Top 12 aspirant to have started five times, and his only defeats have come in two stakes and in a beaten-fave sprint debut, when he lost to an eventual stakes winner. His three most recent races were at a mile or longer, and after scoring smartly in an Oaklawn allowance going a mile Dec. 13, trainer Mark Casse said Sandman will next target the GIII Southwest S. Jan. 25. In his previous start, the GIII Street Sense S. at Churchill Oct. 27, this athletic gray absorbed a bump at the break and was late to change leads before accelerating to just miss second behind the No. 5-ranked Sovereignty (Into Mischief). Six weeks later in Hot Springs, Sandman broke well from the rail and carved out a ground-saving go while mid-pack and covered up for most of his backstretch run. He was then tasked with a positioning dilemma on the far turn when jockey Christian Torres edged him toward the outside, then decided to slice back to the rail to a shoot a narrow gap that easily could have closed and left them blocked. Sandman not only got through, but nimbly torqued out to the three path for clear running room off the bend, willingly inhaling the leader while opening up through a short-stretch configuration over which Oaklawn's one-mile races end at the sixteenth pole. “I thought he took to the two turns,” Casse said after the 89-Beyer win. “It was more about him being able to run into the bit a little bit and to take hold of him. Obviously, early on, those shorter races, you're always kind of hustling and I don't think he likes that. Even when we did run him the two turns, in the Street Sense, I felt like that he still was always trying to play catch-up and never really got into a nice rhythm.” 3) BARNES (c, Into Mischief–All American Dream, by American Pharoah) O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $3,200,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). Lifetime record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $189,000. Last start: WON Jan. 4 GII San Vicente S. After watching this $3.2 million FTSAUG colt pulverize four rivals in Saturday's GII San Vicente S., the big question for Derby prognosticators as we await word about where Barnes will next start is whether or not this Bob Baffert trainee's substantial potential will exceed his enormous hype. If it ends up being the other way around, with performance eclipsing exuberance, the sport will be in for a wild ride over the course of this spring's Triple Crown season. Barnes, hand-picked to be Baffert's first starter at Churchill Downs after the Hall-of-Fame conditioner's three-year corporate banishment from that track was lifted last year, scored a head victory sprinting 5 ½ furlongs in Louisville on Thanksgiving Eve (87 Beyer). Even though Barnes had only scored a narrow victory in a short sprint, his price plummeted in that weekend's Derby Future Wager, closing at 13-1 odds, the lowest mutuel on any of the 38 individual horses offered in the pool. In the San Vicente over seven furlongs, this son of Into Mischief broke running and forced lively opening quarter-mile splits (:22.65 and :22.45) before cracking the rail-running pacemaker. Cornering three wide on the turn, Barnes briefly came off the bridle and was “kind of looking around” at the quarter pole according to jockey Juan Hernandez, who quickly got his colt refocused, bounding home solo through the stretch in a :12.55 final furlong (:35.50 for the final three-eighths) for a seven-furlong time of 1:22.15 (94 Beyer). Baffert, who generally does not publicly commit to Derby preps weeks or months in advance, usually opts for stakes at Santa Anita and Oaklawn for his A-list sophomores. A 1 1/16-miles race would be the next logical step for Barnes, which means the GII Rebel S. Feb 22 and the Mar. 1 GII San Felipe S. could both be in play. 4) CITIZEN BULL (c, Into Mischief–No Joke, by Distorted Humor) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Robert Low & Lawana Low (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $675,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime record: MGISW, 4-3-0-1, $1,301,000. Last start: WON Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Citizen Bull's 15-1 score in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile capped a 3-for-4 season in which this $675,000 KEESEP son of Into Mischief twice wired two-turn Grade I stakes under non-favored circumstances. His overall body of work (rounded out by an on-the-pace debut win sprinting 5 ½ furlongs and a third-place try over seven-eighths in the GI Del Mar Futurity) makes him the deserving choice for Eclipse Award honors. Citizen Bull winning the GI Breeders' Cup | Horsephotos But 2-year-olds who shine at 1 1/16 miles on the first weekend of November rarely get draped in a blanket of roses after triumphing over 10 furlongs on the first Saturday in May. Since the advent of the Breeders' Cup in 1984, Juvenile winners have accounted for only two Kentucky Derby wins from 40 runnings (Street Sense in 2007 and Nyquist in 2016). Citizen Bull established a speed-in-hand lead in the Juvenile, coasting to the front after 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro)-the 9-5 favorite and an expected pace threat-stumbled out of stall one and was relegated to the back. This Bob Baffert trainee maintained a measured cadence and hit another gear in the stretch when confronted by two stablemates, and he was by no means sapped crossing the wire 1 ½ lengths in front. To date, only three rivals who finished behind Citizen Bull have run back out of that 10-horse Juvenile. Gaming (Game Winner) and Getaway Car (Curlin), second and fourth in the Juvenile, ran third and second, respectively, in the Dec. 14 GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 14. 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way, seventh in the Juvenile, was second in the Nov. 30 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Although they all hit the board, each of their Beyers declined in those next-out starts (Gaming from 95 to 77, Getaway Car 89 to 82, Jonathan's Way 86 to 85). This begs the question of whether Citizen Bull will be able to build upon his 96 winning Beyer when he debuts at age three, likely in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. 5) SOVEREIGNTY (c, 2, Into Mischief–Crowned, by Bernardini) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; Lifetime record: GSW, 3-1-1-0, $143,280. Last start: WON Oct. 27 GIII Street Sense S. Sovereignty (Into Mischief) broke his maiden in both a stakes race and his first two-turn attempt. But he had already signaled his prowess with two sustained runs in New York maiden races, so when trainer Bill Mott sent him to Churchill for the Street Sense S., the betting public backed him zealously to 7-5 favoritism in a nine-horse field. This Godolphin homebred broke a step slow from the outermost post, and remained patiently ridden in last until the quarter pole. Jockey Junior Alvarado then looped the entire group, tipping seven wide for the drive, and after Sovereignty brushed aside a tiring rival before the three-sixteenths marker, a hustling hand ride resulted in him coming over the top at the eighth pole and extending fluidly while wrapped up under the wire, five lengths clear (87 Beyer). Sovereignty was sent to Mott's Payson Park stable in November, but he's only posted one workout there so far this winter, a three-eighths breeze back on Dec. 24. 6) RODRIGUEZ (c, Authentic–Cayala, by Cherokee Run) 'TDN Rising Star' O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Kingswood Farm & David Egan (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $485,000 Ylg KEESEP '23. Lifetime record: 2-1-1-0, $46,800. Last start: WON Jan. 4 Santa Anita MSW. Off at 1-2 odds in his second lifetime start for trainer Bob Baffert, Rodriguez (Authentic) earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with a seven-length blowout in a two-turn maiden race at Santa Anita. Among the rivals he beat Jan. 4 were the runner-up, Baeza, who is a half-brother to '23 Derby winner Mage and '24 GI Belmont S. victor Dornoch. The win looked polished and professional, especially considering Rodriguez got a relatively late start as a May 20 foal. His 1:35.91 final time for the mile (93 Beyer) was .24 seconds faster than a seasoned group of older allowance/optional claiming males covered the same distance five races later. For perspective, the winner of that race, a Rodriguez stablemate named Mirahmadi (Into Mischief), is a 4-year-old being pointed for the GI Santa Anita H. This $485,000 KEESEP colt is a half-brother to One Liner, who in 2016-17 started his career 3-for-3 for trainer Todd Pletcher (including a 103-Beyer win in the Southwest S.) before being sidelined off the Derby trail. 7) AVIATOR GUI (c, Uncle Mo–Paulistinha, by Tapit) O/B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC; T-Chad Brown. Lifetime record: GSP, 4-1-1-1, $120,500. Last start: 2nd Dec. 7 GII Remsen S. This Uncle Mo-sired homebred for Three Chimneys Farm was third behind the No. 2-ranked Sandman in his Aug. 10 debut over seven furlongs at Saratoga, then broke his maiden in a one-turn-mile off-the-turfer at Aqueduct Sept. 28, out of which the second- third- and fourth-place horses all came back to win their next starts. Aviator Gui got bumped at the break and was fanned wide when fourth in the Awad S. over 1 1/16 miles on the turf Oct. 29. He rebounded with an adversity-overcoming second when stretched out to nine furlongs and transitioned back to dirt in the Dec. 7 GII Remsen S. This Chad Brown trainee's 9-1 loss by a nose in the Remsen resonates as one of those races in which the runner-up impressed more than the winner. Aviator Gui stalked inside, was locked and blocked when full of run at the quarter pole, then, after brushing aside a rival at the lead of the lane and subsequently getting his momentum stalled a second time when lugging in atop the heels of 'TDN Rising Star' Poster (Munnings), this gray finished with authority to almost nail that rival, ending up second by a head-bob before galloping out past the winner. The co-Beyers of 83 for Poster and Aviator Gui represent nine-furlong figures that clocked .53 seconds slower than the time for the winning 2-year-old filly in the GII Demoiselle S. a half-hour later. But the Remsen top two both finished with vigor through a respectable final furlong in :12.60 while three lengths clear of the third-place horse. 8) EAST AVENUE (c, Medaglia d'Oro–Dance Music, by Ghostzapper) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $410,645. Last start: 9th Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) went off favored at 9-5 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile based on winning his first two starts by a combined 13 ¼ lengths. But he stumbled leaving post one and was relegated to the rear of the field for most of his 1 1/16-miles journey, during which he never settled and never fired, finishing an uninspiring ninth. This Brendan Walsh trainee is one of three Godolphin homebreds to crack TDN's initial Derby Top 12 rankings of the season. East Avenue blew away an Aug. 24 Ellis Park maiden sprint field by eight lengths, earning an 86 Beyer in a debut out of which only one of the nine horses he beat came back to win next time out. His second start was an emphatic 5 ¼ length wiring of the GI Breeders' Futurity over the short-stretch 1 1/16-miles configuration at Keeneland. East Avenue was never headed (95 Beyer), but it's worth noting that the first two days of that Keeneland meet were tilted in favor of front-end speed, with 13 dirt races yielding seven wire-to-wire winners and three others who dueled with or raced just behind the early leaders. East Avenue had his first published workout since the Breeders' Cup Jan. 3 at Fair Grounds, and is being pointed for the GII Risen Star S. there Feb. 15. “Our goal is to get him [to the Risen Star] in great shape and leave some room for improvement,” Walsh said. “He's naturally fast, but he's also a very cool horse with a great mind.” 9) JONATHAN'S WAY (c, Vekoma–Female Drama, by Indian Charlie) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Susan L. Anderson Racing LLC (OH); T-Philip A. Bauer. Sales history: $290,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV). Lifetime record: GSW, 4-2-1-0, $268,530. Last start: 2nd Nov. 30 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) might square off against East Avenue in the Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds. This $290,000 KEENOV weanling won each of his first two races (from off the pace in a Saratoga maiden sprint and all the way on the lead in the one-turn-mile GIII Iroquois S.). But he was never in it to win it with no obvious excuse when seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Jonathan's Way | Sarah Andrew This Ohio-bred from Philip Bauer's barn then rebounded with a hard-trying second despite being the beaten .87-1 favorite in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. In that Nov. 30 stakes, Jonathan's Way got bumped at the break, was a touch keen while trying to be rated by jockey Joel Rosario, then settled into fifth while covered up in mid-pack traffic. Briefly boxed while awaiting room, he spun five wide off the turn and had to twice shift outward from a tiring rival in upper stretch before popping off with a determined late run behind No. 1-ranked First Resort. Jonathan's Way's first two starts mirrored those of his sire. Both won six-furlong maiden sprints in New York, then scored as favorites in one-turn-mile stakes. At age three, Vekoma ran third in the GII Fountain of Youth S., won the then-GII Blue Grass S., and finished twelfth in the '19 Kentucky Derby. At age four he targeted one-turn stakes and was a Grade I winner over seven and eight furlongs. Through four races, it's still a work in progress as to what the most effective running style might be for Jonathan's Way. 10) KEEP IT EASY (c, Hard Spun–Boxwood, by English Channel) O-St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, CJ Thoroughbreds. B-Mr. & Mrs. William L. Pape. T-Dale L. Romans. Sales history: $435,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime record: 4-2-0-0, $207,671. Last start: WON Nov. 30 Ed Brown S. Even though Keep It Easy ($435,000 KEESEP) has not started beyond 6 ½ furlongs in four lifetime races, trainer Dale Romans is likely to give him a shot at two turns sometime in the near future. This Hard Spun colt's victory in the Nov. 30 Ed Brown S. at Churchill caught the eye for his getting bumped at the break, stalking in the four path, then kicking away under mild urging to finish 5 1/4 lengths ahead of a favored runner-up (who won the Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds as the 2-5 favorite in his next start). That 1:15.42 final time for Keep It Easy (87 Beyer) represents the fastest Churchill clocking at 6 ½ furlongs for any 2-year-old over a 377-race span that dates to 1992. Keep It Easy's previous stakes try, in which he was clobbered by 23 ½ lengths when eighth and last in the Saratoga Special S., is an absolute tossout because of how badly he stumbled leaving the gate. With a half-mile breeze Jan. 4, this colt is one workout into his winter training at Gulfstream Park after a brief break. 11) PATCH ADAMS (c, Into Mischief–Well Humored, by Distorted Humor) 'TDN Rising Star' O-CHC Inc., Siena Farm LLC, WinStar Farm LLC; B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Lifetime record: 2-1-0-1, $78,125. Last start: WON Nov. 30 Churchill MSW. After dueling and yielding grudgingly to finish a close-up third as the odds-on favorite in his Keeneland debut, 'TDN Rising Star' Patch Adams (Into Mischief) delivered a blistering seven-eighths victory at 58 cents on the dollar in start number two in a Churchill maiden race Nov. 30, making him the third winner from that “Stars of Tomorrow” card for juveniles to be ranked on TDN's first Top 12 list of the season. This homebred for co-owner WinStar Farm tracked the early action from third, cruised up to challenge for the lead while in hand five-sixteenths out, then rocketed away through a final furlong in :12.17 before being geared down late in a 10 ½-length smash-and-grab score that equated to a resounding 98 Beyer. Patch Adams's final time of 1:20.77 was just 0.33 off the 12-year-old track record held by the champion female sprinter Groupie Doll. This colt is currently three workouts into winter training at Payson Park. On Monday he progressed from four to five furlongs with a bullet breeze. 12) BULLARD (c, Gun Runner–Reve d'Amour, by Warrior's Reward) 'TDN Rising Star' O-St. Elias Stable, Talla Racing LLC, Three Chimneys Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Michael McCarthy. Sales history: $675,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GSW, 3-2-0-1, $129,000. Last start: 3rd Jan. 4 GII San Vicente S. Although Bullard was being driven hard and could not keep up when third behind the sensational Barnes in the San Vicente S., it's too early in the campaign to vote him off the Top 12 island based on a single subpar sprint performance. Like the two horses ranked directly above him on this list, two turns could end up bringing out his best. This 'TDN Rising Star' by Gun Runner was previously 2-for-2 in sprints in which his decisive closing kicks were accentuated by swift opening splits. In the seven-furlong GIII Bob Hope S., this $675,000 KEESEP colt out of Michael McCarthy's barn set up shop at the back of the pack and was ridden along in spots while briefly on hold behind horses before tipping out five-sixteenths from home. He responded to being roused for run four wide off the turn, ran in close to the veering-out leader in deep stretch, then charged by tiring foes top open up by 4 3/4 lengths in a manner that suggests longer distances are within the scope of his ability. Bullard is a half-brother to two siblings who each once hit triple digits on the Beyer scale, one in a one-turn-mile allowance and another over seven furlongs in a listed stakes. The post TDN Derby Top 12: Off and Running with Into Mischief (4), Uncle Mo (2) Colts Leading Season’s First Rankings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Paul F. Oreffice, who spoke fewer than 50 words of English when he arrived in America in the mid-1940s and went on to become a partner in multiple Classic-winning Thoroughbred horses in addition to a successful career in the business world, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, at his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona. He was 97 years old. Born in Venice, Italy, on Nov. 29, 1927, Oreffice moved with his family to Quito, Ecuador, and came to the U.S. in 1945, attending Purdue University despite his very limited English-language skills. He graduated from the Indiana school in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, served two years in the U.S. Army and eventually joined the Dow Chemical Company in February 1953. After several overseas assignments in Italy, Brazil and Spain, he landed at Dow headquarters in Midland, Michigan, in 1970 and became the company's CEO in 1978. He later became the Chairman of the Board and retired in 1992. Oreffice also served on the boards of CIGNA, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley and Nortel Networks. He was also chairman of The American Enterprise Institute, The National Parkinson's Foundation and was on the visiting board of MD Anderson Cancer Center. He was recognized with Spain's highest civilian award and was the recipient of the top medals awarded by the world's three premier chemical organizations. A Life Master in Bridge, skilled at ping-pong and a single-digit handicap golfer before giving up that discipline for tennis, Oreffice was also an enthusiastic sports fan, particularly of the Miami Dolphins and his alma mater Boilermakers. After riding horses as a child, Oreffice invested in horses for the last four decades, participating in partnerships with Dogwood Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Among his career highlights were the GI Preakness Stakes with Summer Squall and the GI Belmont Stakes with Palace Malice. He had ownership interests in eight Kentucky Derby starters, finishing second, third and fourth. He served on the board of the New York Racing Association, was chairman of Saratoga War Horse and maintained a home in Saratoga. Oreffice is survived by his wife of 29 years, Jo Ann Pepper Oreffice; children Laura Jennison (Jon) and Andy Oreffice (Jamie); six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. “Paul Oreffice lived a wonderful and inspiring life and leaves behind a tremendous legacy in the business world, Thoroughbred racing, and through his family,” said Charlotte Weber, chair of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. “He was admired throughout the sport and a good friend to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He will be greatly missed.” Added Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher: “Paul Oreffice was the definition of gentleman, businessman, family man, husband and friend. We will miss him greatly.” “Paul was as game and as enthusiastic of a horse owner as they come,” Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Aron Wellman said. “He adored racing horses, he enjoyed gambling on races and he generously supported any number of industry-related charitable causes. When he joined Eclipse as a partner in 2013 after three decades of being synonymous with Cot Campbell's Dogwood Stable, I had no idea how powerful and meaningful of an impact he'd have on our stable, and more importantly, on my life. He was a truly great, great man who was larger than life and the sport of horse racing and everyone he meant so much to will miss him deeply. He leaves behind an unfillable void.” A celebration of life for Paul Oreffice will take place Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Paradise Valley Country Club. A private entombment will occur in Saratoga at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Oreffice's memory to The Purdue For Life Foundation (purdueforlife.org), the Parkinson's Foundation (parkinson.org) or MD Anderson Cancer Center (mdanderson.org). The post Paul Oreffice, Successful Horse Owner, Businessman, Dies at 97 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The post Winter Training appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner #SierraLeone returned to the work tab Jan. 6 at Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Fla.. He went an easy three furlongs in :37 4/5 as he begins preparations for the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).View the full article

Turfway Park has canceled its Jan. 9 race card due to lingering effects of Jan. 5's winter storm and forecasted single-digit wind chills.View the full article

Due to the lingering effects of a winter storm that swept through Northern Kentucky on Sunday, Jan. 5, officials at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming have canceled its live racing program scheduled for this Thursday, Jan. 9. A Late Pick 5 carryover in the amount of $180,036 will now shift to Friday's nine-race slate with first post scheduled for 5:55 p.m. ET. Track officials indicated that they would monitor the weather forecast through the coming week and that they would provide appropriate updates regarding potential changes to the Friday program as necessary. For additional information, visit turfway.com. The post Winter Weather KO’s Turfway Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There are three horse racing meetings set for Australia on Tuesday, January 7. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Taree. Tuesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – January 7, 2025 Taree 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 7, 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

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'Free Rein,' the award-winning docuseries produced by Woodbine Entertainment that brings viewers into the races and behind the scenes to follow leading jockeys and trainers on their quests to capture Canada's most prestigious racing titles, will return for a second season on Jan. 10. “Creating high-quality and accessible content about horse racing, like 'Free Rein', is crucial to the growth of the sport,” said Woodbine-based trainer Santino Di Paola. “I'd love to see more young people interested in racing, and this is the way to connect with them.” Among the storylines during the second season are the rise of jockey Pietro Moran ad he follows in the footsteps of his father–a former rider–Ryan and Kelsey Munger's relocation from South Africa to Greater Toronto and a behind-the-scenes look at King's Plate Day. “The passion and grit required to find success in horse racing makes for so many compelling stories,” shared 'Free Rein' producer Alanna Nolan. “Our team is so proud to share these stories with both our new and well-acquainted audiences.” The fourth episode of Free Rein's first season, 'The World-Class Women of Woodbine', was recognized with a 2024 Hashtag Sports Award. The episode, featuring world-leading female jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, focuses on the strong presence of women and the unique way that men and women compete alongside one another in horse racing. Other award-finalists included the LPGA, Fox Sports, PUMA, Clemson Athletics and The Players' Tribune. Following the release of the first episode of season two, new episodes will follow every three weeks. 'Free Rein' can be streamed free of charge on Woodbine's new YouTube page dedicated to storytelling that brings fans closer to the action. Subscribe to the page by clicking here. WATCH: Free Rein Season 2 Teaser The post Award-Winning Docuseries ‘Free Rein’ Returns For Second Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Winter weather in Bensalem, Pa., continues to wreak havoc on live racing at Parx Racing as the track canceled its Jan. 6 card because of snow.View the full article

Racing to School reported on Monday another record year of participation and events in 2024, through work designed to deliver relevant learning and careers information to diverse groups of young people. In its 23rd year, Racing to School engaged over 17,000 young minds across 456 events, with the support of racing venues and organisations nationwide. Alongside existing ambassadors such as Hollie Doyle, Oisin Murphy and ITV Racing's Leonna Mayor, the education charity also welcomed leading National Hunt jockey Rachael Blackmore as an international supporter last year. John Blake, chief executive of Racing to School, said, “It is a huge tribute to our small team that they have again grown participation, while maintaining the quality of the programmes, evidenced by the evaluation from our young people and their teachers and tutors. “We also attribute this progress to our generous donors, in particular the Levy Board and all the racecourses who are enthusiastic partners in connecting with young people in their communities. “Identifying beneficiary needs and how racing can offer unique solutions and opportunities is the guiding principle to this work, and as we reach our 250,000th participant later this year, the ambition is to continue to grow in innovative ways through collaboration across the sport.” The post Racing to School Posts Another Record Year of Engagement appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

For this third part in our series on value sires in Europe, we are approaching the level where the word value perhaps becomes more meaningful in that we are dealing with stallions in the €10,000 to €19,999 fee bracket. In this mid range, some sires are passing through, either on their way up as popularity and commercial demand soars, or dropping in fee during the sometimes notoriously difficult years in a stallion's career. Notably that often comes in the third and fourth seasons at stud when they are no longer shiny and new but have not yet had runners to affect reputations, either positively or negatively. New on Parade Let's deal first with some new arrivals. As has been discussed in these pages already, the British Flat stallion ranks have only three new names for the 2025 season, and two of those fall within this price bracket. Few studs can bask in the reflected glory of establishing one of the modern wonders of the stallion scene in quite the way Cheveley Park Stud can in regard to its homebred hero Pivotal (GB). From £6,000 in 1997 to a high of £85,000 a decade later, the son of Polar Falcon provides a perfect reminder of how top-class stallions do not always enter stud at an elite fee. This year, Cheveley Park has welcomed Vandeek (GB) to its roster and indeed his sire Havana Grey (GB) looks very much to be following that example of his fellow Group 1-winning sprinter Pivotal. Havana Grey started at £8,000 and was as low as £6,000 though this third and fourth seasons. Then came his first runners, of which the G1 Middle Park Stakes and G1 Prix Morny winner Vandeek was the standout performer. He now becomes one of two young sons of Havana Grey at stud, along with the Irish National Stud's Shouldvebeenaring (GB), and starts out at almost double the opening fee of Havana Grey himself at £15,000. Vandeek had created a bit of a stir even before he made it to the racecourse, when topping the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale of two years ago. He was bought by Anthony Stroud on behalf of KHK Racing for 625,000gns after reportedly clocking the fastest breeze. Thereafter he proved that that eye-catching spin up the Rowley Mile was no fluke, remaining unbeaten through his four juvenile starts for Simon and Ed Crisford, including the G2 Richmond Stakes prior to his Group 1 triumphs. It was disappointing to see him race only twice at three, but he added third-place finishes in the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes and G1 July Cup before his retirement. Vandeek's dam is the non-winner Mosa Mine (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) but there are a couple of other stallions not too far away in his pedigree. Granddam Baldemosa (Fr) won over a mile and is a Lead On Time half-sister to the classy Balbonella (Fr) (Gay Mecene), winner of the Prix Robert Papin when it was still a Group 1 and later fourth in Miesque's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches during a career which stretched to nine wins in France and America. At stud she produced the champion sprinter and notable stallion Anabaa, as well as Key Of Luck. Joining Vandeek in Newmarket is Bradsell (GB), who represents another branch of Bahrain's Al Khalifa family in Shaikh Nasser's Victorious Racing. Being pitched in at £10,000 seems a fair starting point for this clearly tough sprinter who twice bounced back from injury to add to his admirable record on the track. It was only last year that the National Stud launched new stallion Mutasaabeq (GB), who, by September, had been sold to stand in India. Bradsell will undoubtedly prove more popular, though his own sire Tasleet (GB) was, similarly, dispatched to India for the 2024 breeding season after five years at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud. Out of the Listed-winning Archipenko mare Russian Punch (GB), Bradsell is his family's star performer by a wide margin but a star he undoubtedly was on the track. Announcing his presence with a nine-length win at York on debut, earning a TDN Rising Star in the process, he went on to win the G2 Coventry Stakes before sustaining a fracture when finishing fourth in the G1 Phoenix Stakes. By the following June he had won at Royal Ascot for the second time, claiming the first of three Group 1 triumphs in the King's Stand Stakes. Returning at four after ten months off the track, he won another three times, including the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five. There is a strong case to be made for Henry Longfellow (Ire) at his opening fee at Coolmore of €15,000. For a start, he was an unbeaten Group 1 winner at two, and only a neck separated him (from Rosallion) in attempting to land his second Group 1 in the St James's Palace Stakes. Admittedly, his three-year-old season did not pick up from there, despite another placed finish in the G1 Prix du Moulin, but let's not forget his pedigree. His dam is the sensational Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of the Oaks, 1,000 Guineas, Pretty Polly, Nassau and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, and at two the Fillies' Mile and Moyglare Stud Stakes. Lo and behold, that seven-time Group 1 winner is now a Group 1 producer at the first attempt, thanks in part to Henry Longfellow's sire Dubawi (Ire), whose sons at stud include Night Of Thunder (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB). There there is the July Cup winner Mill Stream (Ire), who joins the champion sire Dark Angel (Ire) at Yeomanstown Stud at €12,500. A sprinter from the Galileo line (think Havana Grey), in this case a son of the versatile and well-bred miler Gleneagles (Ire), Mill Stream's speedy dam-line includes his own half-brother, G2 Richmond Stakes winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), and the G2 Flying Childers winner Wunders Dream (Ire), who is a half-sister to his granddam. Runners to Come The first crop of Mehmas (Ire) included the Group 1 winners Supremacy (Ire), who has his first runners this year and whose fee places him in the next chapter of value sires, and Shadwell's Minzaal (Ire). The latter remained in training as a four-year-old and therefore will have his first yearlings appearing at the sales later this year. His 45 weanlings sold last year averaged approximately €65,700, which was more than four times his initial fee of €15,000. Now, the Derrinstown Stud stallion has been trimmed to €12,500. Of course, using him this year means that resultant offspring will be eligible for sales after his first runners have appeared so, yes, there is risk involved for those breeding commercially, but that doesn't change the fact that he was a consistent performer across three seasons, only finishing out of the first three twice in 11 starts, with his wins including the G1 Sprint Cup and G2 Gimcrack Stakes. At the same stage in his stud career is the durable and classy Stradivarius (Ire), who has remained at £10,000 in his first three seasons. He is unlikely to have winners as early as Minzaal or some of the other more precocious types among his intake, but it will be a surprise if he doesn't have a decent smattering of juvenile winners by the end of 2026 with the promise of plenty more to come as his runners mature. He remains an intriguing prospect as a stallion, and a deserved star attraction for the National Stud. Mishriff (GB) should have been a stud contemporary of the two above but was forced to miss his first covering season with a foot injury. Hence, he only started out last year at €17,500 and has now been trimmed to €16,000 at Sumbe. If his first foals are as good looking as he is, the Prix du Jockey Club and Juddmonte International winner from the family of Kodiac (GB) and Invincible Spirit (Ire) will be off to a good start. The fee for Native Trail (GB) exactly mirrors that of Mishriff to date. A burly son of Oasis Dream (GB), the European champion two-year-old of 2021 became a Classic winner in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. While Native Trail is at Darley's Kildangan Stud, over at Dalham Hall Stud the operation has Triple Time (Ire), who remains at his opening fee of £10,000. This looked good value a year ago and it bears repeating here. Triple Time, a Group 1-winning miler and son of Frankel (GB), is from a family which has barely been out of the news in recent seasons. His decorated dam Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) has not only produced four group winners herself, but two of her daughters are the dams, respectively, of last season's Group 1 winners Rosallion (Ire) and Inisherin (GB). Another Group 1-winning son of Frankel at a similar price is Onesto (Ire), who hails from the Juddmonte family which spawned Dansili (GB), Cacique (GB) and Champs Elysees (GB), not to mention their three Group 1-winning sisters. Now at €12,000 in his second season at Haras d'Etreham, Onesto's Group 1 strike came in the Grand Prix de Paris, and he was a close-up third in the Arc as well as finishing second to Luxembourg (Ire) in the Irish Champion Stakes. Promising Beginnings Among the younger sires with runners, two in this tier have particularly caught the eye. Shadwell's Mohaather (GB) was slowly away last year with his first two-year-olds but his season gathered notable momentum to the extent that he was joint-third with Sands Of Mali (Fr) and Hello Youmzain (Fr) on number of winners (21) in Europe. His three stakes winners were led by the G3 Molecomb winner Big Mojo (Ire) and it will be interesting to see how his three-year-olds fare. Mohaather, though lightly raced, was a group winner in each of his three seasons to race, with his greatest success coming in the G1 Sussex Stakes at four. He is back up to £15,000, having been available at €12,500 last year. France's leading first-season sire of 2023, City Light (Fr), continued to build on that early promise last year, and he was eleventh overall in France's general sires' table with only two crops of racing age. By Siyouni (Fr), he certainly sires plenty of winners. His best to date is the G3 Prix Miesque winner Mimos (Fr) among his eight black-type performers from 164 foals in total from his first two crops. Even at his raised fee €10,000 (from €7,000 in his first five seasons), City Light remains good value and is definitely a stallion to keep an eye on. Proven Quality In the 'been there, done that' sector of this fee bracket one could make a case for a number of names, particularly for owner-breeders. Yes, some of these stallions are getting longer in the tooth, but Oasis Dream (GB) at £15,000 and Iffraaj (GB) at £10,000 both stand out as value selections, as does the 2014 Derby, Irish Derby and Juddmonte International winner Australia (GB). There are few better-bred and -performed stallions available at €10,000. Golden Horn (GB), too, while more generally aimed at the National Hunt market these days, keeps coming up with decent Flat performers and was responsible for a third of the runners in last year's Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He has remained at £10,000, while his Overbury Stud neighbour Ardad (Ire) has been held at his fee of £12,500 for four seasons now. His yearling average for 87 sold last year was just shy of £42,000 and his juvenile runners of this year represent the first year in which he had more than 100 foals in one crop – 153 to be precise. Cotai Glory (GB) retired to stud in the same year as Ardad and they have each had a standout Group 1 winner in Perfect Power (Ire) and The Platinum Queen (Ire) respectively – in both cases bred by Tally-Ho Stud and trained by Richard Fahey. Cotai Glory's list of stakes winners now runs to 16 and includes last season's unbeaten G2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Powerful Glory (Ire). Guess what: he too was trained by Fahey, though Con Marnane can claim the breeding honours this time. Cotai Glory still warrants plenty of support at Tally-Ho at his highest fee to date of €15,000 (up from €12,500). Value Sires Podium Bradsell The National Stud, £10,000 Admirably tough, this top sprinter should be a decent commercial prospect at this opening fee. Henry Longfellow Coolmore, €15,000 The Group 1-winning son of Dubawi and Minding will surely not be overlooked at this enticing introductory fee. Triple Time Darley, £10,000 Good value last year, he remains so this time around, with his family credentials having been further enhanced in the interim. The post Value Sires Part III: Commercial Selection Box appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Sierra Leone returned to the worktab Jan. 6 at Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Fla. with an easy three furlongs in :37 4/5 as he begins preparations for the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).View the full article

Three years ago, John Sikura was blown away by how breeders responded to Hill 'n' Dale's new sire Charlatan, a multiple Grade I-winning son of Speightstown who bred 222 mares in his debut season. Sikura didn't expected to see demand quite like that again anytime soon, but he admits that he has been proven wrong since another Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' recently arrived at Hill 'n' Dale. Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), winner of the 2023 GI Pacific Classic Stakes, will stand for $30,000 in his debut season and according to Sikura, has been swamped with requests since the day he arrived. “I thought Charlatan would set the standard for Hill 'n' Dale as far as initial popularity, an extremely popular horse, but the interest in Arabian Knight has even exceeded that in his first year, which I didn't foresee coming,” Sikura admitted. “He's been sold out well before the breeding season starts and we'll try to hand select maybe a few more mares that we'll have to have, but he's probably the most popular horse that we've ever had come to stud.” What has sent breeders running to see this Hill 'n' Dale newcomer? Sikura said that Arabian Knight has always had the right look, dating back to when he sold for $2.3 million as a 2-year-old to Zedan Racing. The following year, after the colt had put in a dazzling 7 1/4-length debut win at Keeneland and another victory in the GIII Southwest Stakes, Sikura dropped in to Bob Baffert's barn to get a good look at the promising son of Uncle Mo. “Bob said, 'I'm going to show you the perfect horse,'” Sikura recalled. “He pulled the horse out and sort of went head to toe explaining, 'Look at his angles. Look at his shoulder. Look at his bone. Look at his presence.' He said, 'If you can get a template of this horse in your mind, that's the best kind of horse you can ever buy.'” After a six-month layoff and a third-place performance in the GI Haskell Stakes, Arabian Knight earned his signature Grade I victory at Del Mar, where he became the first 3-year-old since Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in 2014 to beat elders in the Pacific Classic. “Winning the Pacific Classic, beating older horses, is a hard thing to achieve,” noted Sikura. “I really think the horse probably was not a true mile and a quarter horse. As a miler, I think he had the ability to beat any horse. So to continue on and show that bravery and repel all comers going a mile and a quarter, I think that was a real testament to not only his ability, but his will and his grit and his determination to get to the line first.” While injuries plagued his next two starts, the brilliance Arabian Knight showed in his three career victories combined with the opportunity to access sought-after bloodlines has assembled an appealing package for breeders. Arabian Knight will stand for $30,000 in his debut season | Sara Gordon Arabian Knight will begin his stud career on the heels of the sudden and tragic loss of his sire Uncle Mo, who was already defining himself as a sire of sires before his passing this past December. While his son Nyquist saw his stud fee jump from $85,000 to $175,000 in 2025 after producing four Grade I winners last year, Caracaro had three stakes horses from his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2024 and Yaupon and Modernist will both have their first crops enter the starting gate this year. Along with Arabian Knight, young sires Golden Pal, Mo Donegal and Kingsbarns round out the latest sons of Uncle Mo to begin their stud careers in Kentucky. “Tragically, we lost [Uncle Mo] too soon, but I believe his influence will be perpetuated through his sons,” said Sikura. “He was such a great breed-shaping stallion both in the sales ring and on the racetrack. It's an honor to stand a Grade I-winning son of Uncle Mo with all the attributes he has here. We hope Arabian Knight is one of the chosen few to carry on this great legacy of Uncle Mo.” “We're supporting the horse and our loyal shareholders that have been with us and other stallions are in as well,” he continued. “Stonestreet is participating, which is a great thing. To see so many breeders say, 'Wow, I just need to breed that horse,' that was a great source of reassurance because while you always have hope and expectation that your horse will be popular, there's always a reason someone can critique your horse. But in his case, it's been really overwhelming, almost unanimous support for him, which is great for the horse and great for the farm.” The post Sikura Says Arabian Knight the Most Popular New Sire in Hill ‘n’ Dale History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Five of the nation's top riders have been nominated for the 76th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award at Santa Anita Park, which recognizes accomplishments on and off the track.View the full article

The race will be held March 22, with a special first post at 12:45 p.m. ET. As a marquee stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Jeff Ruby Steaks awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale. View the full article

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks purse has been raised to a record high $777,000, making it the richest race in the history of Turfway Park, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday. Set to run Saturday, Mar. 22, the marquee day of the Turfway season will feature a 12:45 p.m. ET first post and tickets have now been released for sale. As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the contest awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale, which makes it a vital path to a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May for many runners on the outside looking in. Since 1980, 77 Kentucky Derby starters have taken the Jeff Ruby route, including most recently GISW Rich Strike (Keen Ice), who finished third in the 2022 running and later went on to wear the blanket of roses. The 2024 edition produced eventual GI Preakness Stakes hero MGISW Seize the Grey (Arrogate)–who also finished third–and showcased GSW West Saratoga (Exaggerator), the runner-up who was recently purchased privately to continue his career in Dubai with trainer Chief Stipe Watson. “Raising the Jeff Ruby Steaks purse to $777,000 reflects Turfway Park's ongoing commitment to elevating our stakes program and showcasing top talent on the Road to the Kentucky Derby,” said Matt Shehadi, general manager of Turfway Park Racing & Gaming. “This record-setting purse underscores the Jeff Ruby Steaks as the centerpiece of our season, continuing its legacy as a key test for Derby hopefuls.” Jeff Ruby Steaks Day will also contest the Listed Bourbonette Oaks, a championship series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, on a busy afternoon that includes four other Listed and graded races. The post Jeff Ruby Stakes Purse Increased to Record High for Turfway Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Five names have been released as the nominations for the 76th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award with a winner to be named in February, Santa Anita Park announced via press release. Kendrick Carmouche, James Graham, Brian Hernandez Jr., Juan Hernandez, and Alfredo Juarez comprise a group which will be voted on by their peers nationwide. Named for a man who was not only one of the greatest 'big-money' riders of his era but also revered by his peers as a fierce competitor and consummate professional, the Woolf Award honors riders whose career and personal character earned esteem not just for the individual but the sport as well. It may only be won once. The 2024 recipient was Junior Alvarado and the 2025 winner will become the 76th jockey dating back to Gordon Glisson in 1950 to earn the honor. The post 2025 George Woolf Nominees Released, Winner Announced in February appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article