Wandering Eyes

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Progressive four-year-olds from the Francis Lui and Pierre Ng yards headline the Post’s ratings for the first leg of the Classic Series.View the full article

Trainer bids to continue his recent dominance in the city circuit’s sole Group race on Wednesday.View the full article

Mad Max winning at Otaki on Monday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Eye-catching galloper Mad Max delivered on the promise he showed early in his career with a rewarding maiden victory for Andrew Forsman at Otaki on Monday. The son of Savabeel was an impressive juvenile triallist and debuted in Australia before returning to his homeland in late 2023 where he finished out of the placings twice as a well-backed commodity. Forsman opted to give Mad Max a lengthy spell before returning to the races in November, where he boomed home on two occasions to narrowly go down to Mi Bella and Power Of Three. His inexperience was evident on Boxing Day at Ellerslie when over-racing last start, but from the jump in Monday’s McMillan Equine Feeds Maiden (1200m), he settled beautifully for in-form apprentice jockey Lily Sutherland. Front-runner Aveta put a space on the field turning for home, but Mad Max was winding up and found a good kick in the straight, keeping up a strong gallop to hold off Just A Drop by three-quarters of a length. Forsman was pleased with the result, indicating plenty of patience had been exercised since purchasing the gelding back at the 2022 Ready To Run Sales. “It was nice to see him kind of put it together today, he’s still quite raw and has a far bit to figure out yet, but I think keeping him to shorter distances with tempo on in the race should help him,” he said. “He’s certainly been a test of patience, but the owners have been great, and to be fair, he had strengthened and matured a lot this preparation. “I think the time we gave him has certainly helped, now he just needs a bit of confidence in his racing and he’s slowly getting there.” Bred by Waikato Stud, Mad Max is raced by an ownership group that includes the Zame Partnership, who will have their brightest talent Aegon lining up in Saturday’s Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham. Aegon has earned more than $2 million in stakes in a jet-setting career, with his Group 1 success coming in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) of 2020. After his form tailed off recently in Australia, Forsman opted to bring the gelding home, resulting in a narrow second placing to Meaningful Star in the Group 3 Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) in November. “We’ve just kept him ticking over, he had a quiet trial the other day at Tauranga to keep him up to the mark, once he’s up and race-fit you don’t need to do too much with him,” Forsman said. “He seems to be coming along really well.” Aegon is among the favoured runners for Saturday’s contest, currently sitting a $6 third favourite behind Marotiri Molly ($4.50) and Sharp ‘N’ Smart ($5). His younger stablemate Kitty Flash will take on the three-year-old feature, the Group 2 Levin Classic (1400m), earlier on the Trentham card. The lightly-raced filly has made a good impression in her five-start career, winning two on the bounce before placing behind Alabama Lass in the Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). Kitty Flash then journeyed south to Riccarton for the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) where a soft surface wasn’t to her liking, finishing seventh. The Tauranga trial, which also featured Aegon, was her first public appearance since the Guineas, and Forsman was more than satisfied with what she produced. “She went really well in her trial, she was a bit fresh going into it, which is why we opted to go there,” he said. “She may be a touch vulnerable fitness wise going into this, but we know on class and in a fresh state, she should run really well. “We’ll see what happens on Saturday, but my gut feeling says that she may be best kept to 1400m, perhaps a mile. She’s quite sharp and has natural speed, I don’t know whether she’s really going to get further than that, but she’ll also tell us that off the back of her next couple of runs.” In futures markets dominated by glamour colt Savaglee at $1.80, Kitty Flash is the clear second-elect at $4.50. Horse racing news View the full article

Town Cryer (inside) and Wingman during an exhibition gallop at Otaki on Monday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) The Roydon Bergerson-trained pair of Town Cryer and Wingman readied for their weekend Group assignments at Trentham with an exhibition gallop at Otaki on Monday, and their handler is heading into Saturday with a spring in his step following their hit-out. “They worked very well,” Bergerson said. “It was good, strong work and they both hit the line strongly, so I am very happy. They had a good blow afterwards, so they should be right for Saturday now.” The Awapuni trainer said he was keen to take advantage of Otaki’s grass track in the lead-up to Saturday, with his home track’s turf surface still under renovation. “We have done it before (exhibition gallop the week of a feature race), so we are trying to stick to a good formula,” Bergerson said. “We haven’t got a grass (track) at home to work them on and I think that sometimes when you want to give them a good gallop you probably have to be on the grass instead of the poly. They jar up quite a bit if they are on the poly too often.” Wingman has shown a lot of promise to date, with the three-year-old son of Swiss 
Ace winning two and placing in one of his three starts to date, and has duly earned his first crack at stakes level in Saturday’s Group 2 Levin Classic (1400m). “He has been ticking over nicely at home,” Bergerson said. “He has had a couple of gallops in company and one by himself. He doesn’t take much work, he is a pretty good winded horse. He has come along really nicely, I am very happy with him. “He is a promising horse going forward, we just hope he can run in the money on Saturday and hopefully secure a slot for the race (NZB Kiwi).” Bergerson is looking for an improved run from his Group 1 performer Town Cryer in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), with the mare having finished 11th and fifth respectively in the in the Group 1 Mufhasa Classic (1600m) and Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) in her last two outings at Trentham. Bergerson said he had weighed the option of heading north to Ellerslie for the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day but elected to stay closer to home with his charge. “1400m is not her go really, so we were trying to get her ready for this Thorndon,” he said. “We didn’t want to go all the way to Auckland and back. We thought about the Rich Hill Mile, but she would have had to carry topweight, so we decided to stay at weight-for-age and then back her up in the Thorndon, which ideally fits.” Town Cryer is currently at a win quote of $21 with horse racing bookmakers for Saturday’s Group 1 feature, while Wingman is rated a $12 winning hope in the Levin Classic, with that market dominated by Savaglee at $1.80. Horse racing news View the full article

Donna Logan will resume her training career in New Zealand at Ruakaka on Tuesday. Photo: Trish Dunell Donna Logan will return to her old stomping ground of Ruakaka on Tuesday to resume her training career in New Zealand after plying her trade in Singapore for the last seven years. Racing ceased in Singapore following their last race meeting on October 5, and Logan elected to return to New Zealand, but opted to base her training operation at Byerley Park in South Auckland rather than return to her former base at Ruakaka. “It’s absolutely amazing to be back,” Logan said. “I love it at Byerley Park, the horses are so happy, and we are happy. “Byerley Park was a very good option. Ellerslie isn’t far and that is where the money is, and the airport is close, so if we are good enough, we can go overseas. They were big attractions.” While Logan would have loved to have returned to Ruakaka, she said the amount of travel involved from the Northland township was too much of a hurdle. “I loved Ruakaka, I had a wonderful time training there, but once you are based in a place like Singapore and you race and train in one place, I was quite despondent to think that I am going to have to do all of that travel again,” she said. “I have done a lot of it (travel), I missed a lot of kids’ sports, I sacrificed a lot for that travel, so Byerley Park seemed a sensible option.” Logan said she is also appreciating the greenery of her homeland after living in a city state for the best part of the last decade. “We probably didn’t appreciate how much we missed the green paddocks and the lawns and trees. We really appreciate it now after being away from it,” she said. While Logan hasn’t returned to train at Ruakaka, she is rapt that she is having her first runners at the Northland venue on Tuesday. “It is funny that it has panned out that I am kicking off in Ruakaka,” she said. “It just fitted in and it wasn’t until we did the noms that I thought ‘oh my god, I am going back to my old turf’.” Logan is set to line-up debutants Likava and White Mask for Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey, who Logan said has been a big supporter of hers on her New Zealand return. “Gerry is amazing, he supports a lot of people in New Zealand, and I am very grateful to have his support, he is a great man for our industry,” Logan said. Four-year-old mare Likava will line-up in the Northland Business Systems (1200m), while Logan is weighing up between the Wangaripo Valley Free Range Egg Cup Race (1400m) and Lion Red (1400m) with White Mask. “White Mask is a very nice three-year-old that is going to get up over ground,” Logan said. “Whatever she does tomorrow she is going to take a tonne of improvement, and as she steps up in distance, she is only going to get better and better. “Likava is older, a four-year-old now, but she has shown me enough to think that she will go a reasonable race. She is a first starter, so they have been very patient with her. “Both horses were pre-trained for me before I got here and I am grateful to the people who pre-trained them for me, it has given me the opportunity to kick-off the mark a lot quicker than I would have otherwise.” Meanwhile, Logan was pleased to be reunited with her Singapore stakes performed mare Istataba last month. The Argentinian-bred daughter of Treasure Beach placed in the Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m) and two editions of the Singapore Gold Cup for Logan, and earned more than S$536,000 in prizemoney. Logan is excited to have her bolster her New Zealand team, and she is already eyeing some stakes targets with her mare. “Istataba arrived in New Zealand on the 20th of December. She is the only horse from Singapore,” Logan said. “She ran third in the Singapore Gold Cup two years running for me, and she will be set for our Cups staying races.” Horse racing news View the full article

My Lips Are Sealed winning the Group 3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) A long-standing breeding partnership has come up trumps again with a daughter of Ace High their latest success story. Rich Hill Stud and Scott Williams’ Bloodstock Resources bred My Lips Are Sealed, who triumphed in Saturday’s Group 3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) at Trentham, where the four-time winner finished a close second in last season’s Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m). Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, My Lips Are Sealed was sold through Rich Hill’s 2022 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $160,000 to Te Akau’s David Ellis. “Scott has had a long and successful association with Rich Hill and bred Zarita, who was a dual Group 1 winner by Pentire,” John Thompson said. Williams also bred Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Efficient and top sprinter Babylon Berlin, who is from the family of My Lips Are Sealed. “We bought her granddam What Can I Say about 25 years ago,” Thompson said. “Bob Vance trained her and she was a great wet-tracker, she beat a field including Tie The Knot and Might And Power one day in the Warwick Stakes (Group 2, 1400m).” They purchased What Can I Say after the Khozaam mare had produced a couple of foals in Australia, including multiple Group 2 winner and two-time Group 1 placegetter Only Words. “The first foal we bred was a stakes winner called Gibraltar Campion who was by Rock Of Gibraltar and sold at Karaka for $500,000,” Thompson said. “We also sold a Zabeel filly out of What Can I Say for $500,000 at Sydney Easter and then she had six colts in a row,” Thompson said. “Fortunately, when she was about 21 or 22 we got her in foal to Tavistock and she had a filly, which we retained.” That was My Lips Are Sealed’s mother Tellmeaboutit, who was unraced. “We trialled her and she didn’t really set the world on fire, so we decided to breed from her,” Thompson said. “My Lips Are Sealed was her second foal and she was the top-priced yearling from Ace High’s first crop. “We had her first foal by Vadamos (Vai Vai Vai) leased in Australia and she won a trial really nicely but in her first race day start she broke her pastern and had to be euthanised.” Tellmeaboutit’s third foal by Proisir named Talktomebaby sold for $240,000 at Karaka last year. “Ciaron Maher has got her and has showed promise, she had an early race and pulled up shin sore, so they gave her a break and she’s back in work now,” Thompson said. “Tellmeaboutit has now got a Satono Aladdin filly at foot and she’s back in foal to him.” Horse racing news View the full article

What Taree Races Where Manning Valley Race Club – Racecourse Dr, Taree NSW 2430 When Tuesday, January 7, 2025 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Country racing returns to Taree on Tuesday afternoon, with the Manning Valley Race Club set to play host to a competitive eight-part program. The rail is placed in the true position for the entire circuit for the meeting, and with no significant rainfall forecast in the lead-up, punters can expect the surface to start with a Good rating as racing gets underway at 1:15pm local time. Some showers are predicted to hit the course throughout race day, however, so there may be a downgrade into the Soft range at some stage. Best Bet at Taree: Hoo Haa Hoo Haa was no match for Summer Soiree at Wyong on December 21, and although the 8.3-length defeat doesn’t look flattering on paper, the Denman mare was clearly the best of the beaten brigade. She was the last one turning for home on that occasion, showing a blistering turn of foot to suggest she’s wound up for this second-up assignment. She should take closer order drawn in barrier two, and provided Jean Van Overmeire can land in the one-one, Hoo Haa should finally crack her maiden at start 20. Best Bet Race 3 – #7 Hoo Haa (2) 4yo Mare | T: Mark Cross | J: Jean Van Overmeire (55kg) +250 with Neds Next Best at Taree: Starry Jack The Brett Dodson-trained Starry Jack caught the eye returning at this course and distance on December 22, closing to within a half-length of Once A Lady. He usually takes plenty of improvement after a first-up performance, posing a formidable second-up record of three starts for two wins and another minor placing to his name. There doesn’t seem to be much speed on paper, and with Siena Grima attempting to dictate terms from stall three, watch for Starry Jack to give a bold sight when asked for the ultimate effort. Next Best Race 5 – #1 Starry Jack (3) 5yo Gelding | T: Brett Dodson | J: Siena Grima (2kg) (62.5kg) +500 with BlondeBet Best Value at Taree: Spacetime Legend Spacetime Legend represents terrific each-way value with horse racing bookmakers as he debuts for the Joel Wilkes barn. The Dundeel gelding failed to make an impression across his five starts last preparation, with provincial company proving a shade too classy for the lightly raced three-year-old. His recent barrier trial victory at Gunnedah on December 20 suggests he’s a new horse under the tutelage of Wilkes. Andrew Gibbons is likely to land in the ideal stalking position, and if he does, Spacetime Legend should get every chance to secure his maiden victory at a big price. Best Value Race 7 – #9 Spacetime Legend (3) 3yo Gelding | T: Joel Wilkes | J: Andrew Gibbons (57.5kg) +1300 with Picklebet Tuesday quaddie tips for Taree Taree quadrella selections January 7, 2025 1-3-5 1-2-3 4-8-9-10-14 3-5-6-11 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

It was an emotional victory Jan. 5 for trainer Michael McCarthy and owner Reddam Racing as Look Forward, the last winner trained by the late Ben Cecil, earned her first stakes victory in the $101,500 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

The four finalists for the ‘Stevie Golding at Harcourts – People’s Choice’ Best Moment of the 2024 Season have been found and now it is time to have your say as to what the best moment was for the season. The finalists are: – Samantha Ottley becoming the first female driver to drive 100 winners in a 12 month season – Tom Bamford’s first Group 1 win with Rakero Rocket in The Christian Cullen – Crystal Hackett’s first Group 1 win on Mach Shard in the Group 1 Taylor Mile paying over $150 for the win – Beetastic winning the Group 1 Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic You can view each of the moments and vote via this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KM9SQDD Please note you must vote using the link above..any comments on this page will not count Voting closes on Tuesday 14th January at 3pm and the winner will be announced at the HRNZ Awards on the 8th February. View the full article

A solution has been found to two harness racing trials/workouts “black spots”. Effective immediately, Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) has finalised agreements with two videographers to provide footage of the North Otago trials at Oamaru, and the Mt Hutt workouts at Mt Harding Racecourse in Methven. “We have been very mindful for some time that both North Otago and Mt Hutt have not been covered,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden, “they were black spots in our trials and workouts coverage.” Now action from both venues will be uploaded to the HRNZ website as quickly as possible after they have been run. “Given a large number of horses attend both trials and workouts at these venues, it is critical that we provide such footage to allow punters to make an informed and confident decision when placing their bets,” says Peden. “It will also help owners unable to attend the meetings to keep updated on their horses’ progress and provide opportunities for Entain to use the footage at various times, including race previews.” The first of the Mt Hutt workouts will be on January 18 while North Otago (Oamaru) kicks off on January 22. View the full article

Group 1 winner, Ceolwulf. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Dual Group 1 winner Ceolwulf is poised for a return to action in next month’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. The four-year-old gelding was last seen securing back-to-back victories in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) within two weeks in October. His trainer, Joe Pride, believes Ceolwulf has developed significantly during his time off. “I’m really happy with him,” Pride said. “The aim is to run in the Apollo on the 15th (of February). He’s just going along really nicely. He’s put on a heap of weight. “He seems like a bigger, stronger horse. How many times have you heard that from a trainer? But he does and he is actually, because he was racing at low 480s and he’s now 520 kilos. “So he’s going to trim down a little bit before he goes to the races, but there’s not an ounce of fat on him. “He’s coming up really well. I’m scary excited. Because as exciting as it is, it’s scary having a horse that good.” Ceolwulf’s progress has Pride cautiously optimistic as the gelding prepares to take on what promises to be a competitive renewal of the Apollo Stakes. Horse racing news View the full article

Mrs Chrissie. Photo: Racing Photos Last-start runner-up in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1100m), Mrs Chrissie, is likely to bypass this Saturday’s Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m), with trainer Ciaron Maher opting to target either the Listed Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield or the Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, both scheduled for January 25. “Knowing her, 1000 and 1100 (metres) are her best trips, and if we can space her runs, which we like doing, we do,” said Maher’s assistant, Jack Turnbull. “There’s a race in Adelaide on the same day and one at Caulfield; she’ll be in one of the two. “She’s stakes-quality, obviously, but if we can just get that win it will be good. “We’ve got her, we’ve got a sibling, the owner’s still got the mare, so it adds a lot more to the picture.” Looking ahead, Turnbull mentioned that a potential tilt at the Group 1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) is on the radar, though the stable remains grounded in their immediate goals. “Pie-in-the-sky, you would say a grand final could be a Sangster – you might have a crack at six furlongs in mares’ company – but we are very realistic, and the ownership group is much the same. “If we could win a Listed or Group 3 in mares’ grade, that’s number one (goal), and then we could potentially look at a Sangster.” Horse racing news View the full article

The Fasig-Tipton Santa Ynez Stakes offered points–10-5-3-2-1–towards the GI Kentucky Oaks, and it was Look Forward (Bolt d'Oro–Troublesome by, Into Mischief) who found the wire in time to take home the loot and the opening leg of the filly series at Santa Anita on Sunday afternoon. A filly in the care of trainer Ben Cecil before he sadly passed away last fall, Look Forward was transferred to Michael McCarthy–a one-time Cecil assistant. The bay was the runner-up in the GII Starlet to close out her juvenile year and coming into the Santa Ynez she was marked as the 8-5 favorite. Rolling out of the gate, Look Forward tracked up the backstretch from third behind Silent Law (Tiz the Law) and with her cue by the top of the lane she seized the lead. Artisma (Munnings) had not thrown in the towel and that filly came with a run in the final jumps. Look Forward held the advantage though and she got to the wire first. The final running time was 1:25.42. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0. Sales History: $285,000 '23 KEESEP. O-Reddam Racing LLC; B-Woods Edge Farm, LLC & Ballyfair Bloodstock (Ky); T-Michael McCarthy. #5 LOOK FORWARD ($5.40) and @_MGutierrez_ win the $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at @SantaAnitaPark and earn 10 points toward the :cherry_blossom: Kentucky Oaks. Congratulations to the @mwmracing team and owner Reddam Racing. Another stakes winner by @SpendthriftFarm's Bolt D'oro. pic.twitter.com/NVHjH1zxoK — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 5, 2025 The post Look Forward Outlasts Artisma To Earn Top Oaks Points In Santa Ynez appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Packing Angel gives Zac Purton a double. Photo: HKJC Packing Angel has emerged as a potential Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender after the gelding’s victory at Sha Tin on Sunday shunted Zac Purton to within eight wins of equalling Douglas Whyte’s Hong Kong record of 1,813 wins. Trained by Francis Lui and rated 63, Packing Angel (120lb) handled the rise in grade to Class 3 with aplomb, edging clear of Kaholo Angel (129lb) to win by three quarters of a length, impressing Purton. “He’s got a long way to go on ratings, but he’s a young horse on the way up. He’s improving all the time and it was a pretty soft win in the end. There’s a bit more there,” Purton said after sealing a double and taking his Hong Kong career tally to 1,805 wins. “Two wins is always a good result, but a couple of things didn’t quite go right in races – I had a few people taking me on, making it hard but that’s Hong Kong.” The HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) is run at Sha Tin on January 31 and is followed by the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on March 2 and the HK$26 million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on March 23. Last season’s champion trainer, Lui shared training honours with John Size and David Hayes, with the trio snaring doubles. Lui also struck with Baby Crystal (135lb), who gave Frenchman Alexis Pouchin his second Hong Kong victory, clocking a slick 56.32s and winning by almost three lengths. Hayes moved into third position in the Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a brace, combining with Purton to win with Circuit Jolly before apprentice Ellis Wong guided Ariel to all-the-way success. 12-time Hong Kong champion Size continued his surge with a double, triumphing with Raging Blizzard for Hugh Bowman and Country Dancer under Karis Teetan. “There was pressure on and the tempo of the race suited him,” Size said of Raging Blizzard, who settled last before overwhelming his rivals for the second successive start. “He’s obviously done no work early and he got an inside run and saved a lot of energy. He was able to finish it off well. “There’s a Class 1 (1200m) for him (9 February), so we’ll have a look. He’s never been racing this well.” Bowman said: “He (Raging Blizzard) is very genuine, he has a beautiful attitude toward racing, he enjoys being left alone early but he’s there for you when you need him and he’s got a good record together now. He’ll head up to Class 1 and he won’t be out of place there.” Frankie Lor-trained Sword Point survived an objection before being declared the winner of the Class 2 Pak Tam Chung Handicap (1650m, dirt) and will now be considered for an overseas campaign. Lor hopes the 105-rater, unbeaten after two starts on dirt, will be invited to run in the US$1 million (approx. HK$7.7 million) Group 2 Godolphin Mile (1600m, dirt) at Meydan on April 5. Dylan Mo posted his first win of the season with a copybook ride on Danny Shum’s Super Legends. “I need to say a big thank you to the owner and trainer for giving me a chance to ride this horse,” Mo said. “In this time, it has been a bit hard for me but I will try my best 100 percent to ride these horses well. “I was told with this horse (Super Legends) that if I could not lead or the pace is too fast to get the box seat and it worked out well.” Another World overcame difficulties in the straight under Lyle Hewitson to continue Benno Yung’s strong form. “Nine times out of 10, you think you are just gone (when blocked for a run) and there’s nothing left but once the gap re-opened, I just felt him pick up the bridle again and I went with him,” Hewitson said of Another World’s chequered passaged in the straight. “Most horses can’t give two kicks, it was quite an impressive win, actually.” Hong Lok Golf made it two wins in a row, finishing strongly under Harry Bentley to confirm trainer Chris So’s high opinion of the Grunt four-year-old. “He’s a good horse. He drew wide (gate nine) and I didn’t think there was much pace in the race, so I was worried. But he showed he’s a good horse. He was three-wide all the way. It was impressive. I expected him to run a good race, but I wasn’t confident,” So said. “Those horses (Hong Lok Golf and The Boom Box) when I bought them, I expected them to be good horses – especially this one. It seems like I’ve got a couple of good ones.” Horse racing news View the full article

Fifteen years after leaving his native Venezuela as the country's winningest trainer, Antonio Sano reached a milestone Jan. 5 at Gulfstream Park when he saddled his 1,000th winner in North America.View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert began mapped out plans for a quartet of the stable's winners at Santa Anita last weekend, including the highly-regarded 3-year-olds Barnes (Into Mischief) and Rodriguez (Authentic), in addition to older horse Mirahmadi (Into Mischief) and Chilean champion juvenile filly Richi (Chi) (Practical Joke). A $3.2-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase, Barnes took the GII San Vicente, while Rodriguez ran away with a TDN Rising Star-earning performance going a mile. Mirahmadi annexed an eight-furlong optional claimer and Richi recorded her first stateside victory in the six-panel GIII Las Flores Stakes. “I thought I had a great shot to win four races, but we had to get lucky,” reflected Baffert. “I've thought that before and I've been lucky to get one or instead I got a donut. We got great rides yesterday and good racing luck. It was great to win for these clients who continue to support us and it really raises the morale of all the people who work so hard in the barn. “I was happy with Barnes. [Owner] Amr [Zedan] had to stretch to buy him, and I really made him stretch, but he's a very good horse. We're going to nominate everywhere and take a look.” Regarding Eclipse finalist and favorite Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), Baffert added, “Citizen Bull and a couple of the others will point for the GIII Robert B. Lewis here on Feb. 1.” Barnes, who was named after Baffert's longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes, was purchased by Zedan for $3.2 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. Baffert suggested to Zedan that they name the horse in Barnes' honor after the assistant trainer told Baffert they better find a good name for the horse because he was training so well. He didn't tell Barnes about the name until one day he handed him a halter with the name plate already engraved and gave it to the assistant to put on the colt. “Rodriguez was very impressive going two turns and he showed us what we expected. Mirahmadi has always been a good horse, but he's had some tough luck. He'll point to the Big 'Cap (Santa Anita Handicap Mar. 1).” Baffert won the 2024 Santa Anita Handicap with Newgate for the same ownership group as Citizen Bull, Rodriguez and Mirahmadi. The partnership is known as the Avengers and consists primarily of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Tom Royan, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. Determined Stables appears on the ownership line of Rodriguez as well. Richi, who is now owned by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale and Stud Vendaval, was making her second start in the United States. The win came over the Baffert-trained Pleasant (Munnings), who was sent off as the 1-5 favorite following a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in November. “Richi will be pointed for the [GI] Beholder Mile [in March]. She should stretch out fine. Pleasant was just a little rusty, but she'll stick around here,” said Baffert. The post Baffert Maps Out Plans with Saturday’s Santa Anita Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert highlights plans for his four Jan. 4 winners, including 2-year-olds Barnes and Rodriguez.View the full article

The bandwagon for Barnes was already pretty crowded heading into Saturday's GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita. It now may be next to impossible to find a standing-room-only spot after the Bob Baffert-trained son of Into Mischief uncorked a crusher of a performance that left four rivals reeling in his 5 ½-length wake. I have no idea if the two sprint victories at the root of this $3.2 million FTSAUG colt's foundation will blossom into a blanket of roses on the first Saturday in May. I am pretty certain, though, that Barnes stands a chance at being the most highly hyped GI Kentucky Derby prospect ever. The benchmark for pre-Derby exuberance-in my lifetime, at least-has always been Arazi, the compact chestnut with the jagged white blaze from France who blasted into contention by obliterating the field in the 1991 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Returning overseas for the winter while out of the American public's view only added to the colt's outsized mystique, and even though it was well-reported that Arazi had undergone arthroscopic surgery in Kentucky to remove bone spurs on both knees four days after the Breeders' Cup, his Derby price dipped to as low as 8-5 at some Las Vegas bookmakers in the era before pari-mutuel futures betting. After only one prep race in France 25 days before the '92 Derby, Arazi started as the 9-10 favorite on race day. Unwinding with authority from the back of the pack, he ranged up to challenge the leaders off the far turn, then suddenly had nothing left to give. Backpedaling to eighth through the stretch, Arazi weakened behind 16-1 upsetter Lil E. Tee. He won only one more Group 2 race in France later in the year before returning to the States to finish his career 11th as the 3-2 beaten favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Make no mistake, Barnes's talent and untapped potential are there. But what will really stoke his fire of fancy into a full-blown conflagration over the next 120 days is the unavoidable narrative that figures to dominate headlines leading up to the first leg of the Triple Crown on May 3. The gaming corporation that owns Churchill Downs had barred Baffert in June 2021 because of a string of drug positives in horses Baffert trained, including two in Churchill's most prominent races, the 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks and the 2021 Derby. The colt who tested positive and was disqualified for an overage of betamethasone in that 2021 Derby, Medina Spirit, was owned by Amr Zedan, who has spared no expense in trying to win the Derby in the first year that his main trainer has become re-eligible to compete in it. Barnes, who is named after the Hall-of-Fame trainer's longtime assistant, Jimmy Barnes, was hand-picked to be Baffert's first starter at Churchill after the corporate ban was lifted earlier this year. When the colt scored a head victory sprinting 5 ½ furlongs in Louisville on Thanksgiving Eve, his price subsequently plummeted in that weekend's Derby Future Wager. Even though he had only raced once in a short sprint, the 13-1 odds on Barnes represented the lowest mutuel on any of the 38 individual horses in Pool 2. And that price could be halved when betting opens for Pool 3 on Jan. 17. That's a prohibitively low potential return for a prospect who won't have raced two turns prior to locking in those odds, with the Derby itself still some four months away. Then again, Barnes certainly looks the part of a colt who might relish longer distances based on the assertive way he splintered the San Vicente field, earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure, up from 87 in his debut. He menacingly forced the issue through legit quarter-mile splits (:22.65, :22.45 and :24.50), then bounded home solo through the stretch in a :12.55 final furlong (:35.50 for his final three-eighths) for a seven-furlong clocking of 1:22.15. “He was aggressive down the backside but he's still learning how to run,” jockey Juan Hernandez said after scoring his third consecutive renewal of the San Vicente. “I like him because around the quarter pole he got off the bridle and was kind of looking around a little bit. But when I corrected him, he came back to me. I was really surprised how he finished today.” Baffert said post-win Saturday that Barnes shares physical resemblances with his maternal grandsire, American Pharoah, whom Baffert trained to Triple Crown stardom in 2015. Such comparisons, repeated often enough over the next 17 weeks, will only further inflate this colt's can't-miss aura, contributing to even more imbalances in the futures betting. The post Week in Review: Barnes Bandwagon Approaching Capacity – Care to Hop Aboard ‘Rising Star’ Rodriguez Instead? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Prep season for the GI Kentucky Derby is still in its earliest stages, but a couple of races over the weekend gave us some things to get excited about. It appears, in GII San Vicente Stakes winner Barnes (Into Mischief), we have an early Derby favorite that could give Bob Baffert his first official Derby win since Authentic (Harlan's Holiday) in 2020 in what would be his return to America's most famous race after the Churchill ban. Sold for $3.2 million at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, this could be a special horse. But we also have this year's dark horse, the type of underdog everyone can get behind, a modestly bred 3-year-old named Coal Battle (Coal Front) who is trained by Lonnie Briley. He won Saturday's Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn, beating horses trained by Peter Miller, Wayne Lukas and Brad Cox. For Briley, a soft-spoken 72-year-old trainer from Louisiana, it was the biggest win of a career that started in 1988. Prior to that, he was the long-time farm manager for the late John Franks. Since going out in his own in 1988, Briley, who races primarily at Evangeline Downs, Delta Downs and Fair Grounds, has won 338 races, but he's yet to win his first graded stakes race. The Smarty Jones is a listed race. Nonetheless, he had no reason to be believe he'd come as far as he has when he picked Coal Battle, a Kentucky bred, out of the 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sales, paying just $70,000. The sire, Coal Front, stands for just $2,000. Coal Battle debuted July 25 at Evangeline, winning a $31,000 maiden special weight race by 3 1/2 lengths with Juan Vargas aboard. There was nothing particularly special about the performance. He covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in :59.40 seconds and the Beyer figure was a modest 55. Briley then made the decision to run Coal Battle in successive grass races, which didn't work out. He went back to the dirt, and the results were back-to-back wins in the Jean Laffite Stakes at Delta and the Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington Park. “It's been fun and exciting,” Briley said. “The horse is sound and he keeps getting better and better as we have kept running him. He's been at six different racetracks in four different states. He ran a little different Saturday, going to the lead. We had been taking him off the pace, but the fractions were so slow the rider just kind of went with him. He had his head bowed all the way around and he just kind of galloped down the stretch. He's a neat little horse. At the Springboard Mile he was looking at the grandstand and was kind of running sideways. At Delta Downs, he was looking at the gate in the infield and running sideways there. Yesterday, nothing bothered him so it seems like he has matured and is getting better and better.” Lonnie Briley and Juan Vargas in the Oaklawn winner's circle | Coady Media The $250,000 Smarty Jones was clearly the best race of his career. He went to the lead right from the start, but a challenge emerged when race favorite Kale's Angel (Complexity) came to him at the head of the stretch. But Coal Battle sprinted away from him to win comfortably, by four lengths. Briley said the Feb. 22 GII Rebel at Oaklawn is probably next for his colt. Then there's the jockey. Vargas has been riding in the U.S. since 2008 and is a regular in southern Louisiana. He's a had a bit more success than Briley, having won three graded stakes, but not much more. Prior to coming to the U.S., he rode in Argentina and his native Peru. Briley took him off Coal Battle for a race at Kentucky Downs and another at Keeneland. But he got the mount back for the Jean Laffite and is now 3-for-3 on the horse. “I went to the Jean Laffite and put Vargas back on and he won,” Briley said. “I just kept him on him. He likes the horse and gets along with him and knows horse. Why not ride him?” Somewhere down the line and if he stays healthy, Coal Battle may have to face Barnes. That would be quite the David vs. Goliath story. After selling for $3.2 million to owner Amr Zedan, Barnes made his debut at Churchill Nov. 27. He was the first horse Baffert was able to run at Churchill since they rescinded the ban that stemmed from the betamethasone positive with Medina Spirit (Protonico) from the 2021 Derby. He was able to win at first asking, but didn't necessarily live up to the hype. He had to fight to win by a head and got a Beyer figure of 84. He was much better in the San Vicente. Facing off against the highly regarded GIII Bob Hope Stakes winner Bullard (Gun Runner), Barnes turned the San Vicente into a one-horse race. He won by 5 1/2 lengths over stablemate Romanesque (Practical Joke). Bullard, a 'TDN Rising Star' was third. “I knew he would run well,” Baffert told the Santa Anita notes team. “I was watching [Jockey] Juan [Hernandez], he knows the horse well, and he said he was a little green. But everyone who has worked him says he has another gear. They are all a little green. The second out is the most important for all these horses.” The other 3-year-old winners Saturday were Cyclone State (McKinzie) in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct and Guns Loaded (Gun Runner) in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Both ran well and should be heard from again. But the plucky horse out of Louisiana and the colt that cost $3.2 million, it was their weekend. Rajiv Maragh Has Lofty Goals Rajiv Maragh picked up his third winner since he launched his comeback in October, winning Saturday's seventh at Gulfstream aboard Valentine Bug (Dramedy). After being away from the sport for 2 1/2 years while he explored opportunities in the technology field, he knew it would not be easy to win a lot of races in Hallandale, where the riding colony is arguably the best in the country, upon his comeback. But Maragh said he is not the least bit discouraged and has set some very lofty goals for himself. He believes he can win an Eclipse Award before he is done. Rajiv Maragh back at Gulfstream | Ryan Thompson “My biggest dream as a jockey is to win an Eclipse Award,” he said. “That is my overarching goal. In the short-term, I would like to be riding in the higher quality races, the elite races. Within the next five years I'd like to be traveling around riding in all the premier races. Not only domestically, but internationally. I want to get prime opportunities. That's the stage where I want to see myself riding, in races like the Pegasus and the Saudi Cup. “I feel like the first phase is just going back to the basics and showing people the value proposition of riding me,” Maragh said. “Whenever I ride a horse, I want the owner and trainer to believe they have achieved their optimal position. That's what I think it all comes down to. That's what I am focusing on right now. If the horse is expected to win or is a longshot, I'd like the owner and trainer to think I might have over achieved. I finished third but I should have been fourth. By riding me they got a better placing.” The post Coal Battle Makes Case For Derby Cinderella Story; Maragh Enjoying Gulfstream Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) pleased his connections in his final bit of serious work at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Saturday, before an intended appearance in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on Friday, January 24. Trained by Jerome Reynier for Team Valor International and Gary Barber, Facteur Cheval is no stranger to Meydan, having made the breakthrough at the top level when winning the $5-million Dubai Turf back in March. He was last seen filling the runner-up spot in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, pushing the outstanding miler Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) all the way to the line. The six-year-old now has a return to Dubai on his agenda after putting the finishing touches to his preparation at Cagnes-sur-Mer, with his connections keen to test him on dirt before deciding on his future targets in the Middle East. “He was never off the bridle, yet he delivered some speedy internal splits, including 600 metres in less than 34 seconds,” Reynier said of the exercise. “He dipped under 11 seconds for one furlong at his fastest, which is moving right along in a workout. “If he takes to the dirt it opens up opportunities such as the Dubai and Saudi Cups. If he fails to handle the dirt, then he will defend his Dubai Turf title in late March.” It was also confirmed on Saturday that Mickael Barzalona, who has ridden Facteur Cheval previously, will take the mount when the six-year-old returns to action in the Al Maktoum Challenge. The post Facteur Cheval Shines in Racecourse Gallop Ahead of Meydan Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch's Scorching (Mo Town) takes aim at the Road to the Kentucky Derby as he targets the Mar. 1 GIII Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. The one-turn mile for sophomores awards 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers. Trained by John Charalambous, the Ontario-bred colt was last seen winning the restricted Oct. 6 Cup and Saucer Stakes over the Woodbine Racetrack turf. The CTHS sale graduate scored the victory by disqualification after Ashley's Archer (Karakontie {Jpn}) got his nose down first on the wire but was ruled to have interfered with a rival in the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile route. The Cup and Saucer came on the heels of an impressive graduation with a pacesetting five-length score in the 6 1/2-furlong restricted Simcoe Stakes in August over the Tapeta. “I think he ran a winning race,” Charalambous said of the Cup and Saucer. “We just got beat the last jump and I'm still not sold that he's any better on turf. I was really happy with that race and I was happy with the way he was coming into his next race, but he developed a virus and it took him longer to get through it, so we gave him the rest of the year off. The owners made the decision to try a different route, so here we are.” Scorching arrived at Belmont Park in late December and has yet to breeze over the training track. “Our plan is to race in the Gotham. We're just starting him back up at Belmont, and he trains on dirt in Canada and has breezed on it a bunch of times, so hopefully he can make the transition in the afternoon,” Charalambous said. “We're just trying to get him fit and ready, and hopefully everything goes well.” Scorching debuted in July at Woodbine with a runner-up effort sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over Tapeta ahead of his Simcoe score. Charalambous said he believes the dark bay can be effective at a one-turn mile. “I didn't really think he was a sprinter,” Charalambous said. “I didn't know if he could go a Classic distance, but he never really trained like he was a sprinter-he always worked well, but wasn't excessively quick. The way the races came up, the timing was perfect on both his stakes wins.” In the Gotham, Scorching will be making his first start in five months. “The layoff certainly did him well mentally, and he put on some weight,” Charalambous said. “He's just got to get used to the track–it's deeper here than back home. It's something we have to work through, but he's in great shape and we'll take it from there.” The post Cup and Saucer Winner Scorching Gotham Bound appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Chad Summers lists the Feb. 22 Saudi Derby (G3) and March 1 Gotham Stakes (G3) as potential landing spots for Jerome Stakes winner Cyclone State.View the full article

The 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot will be the richest-ever race run at the royal racecourse after prize money was boosted to £1.5 million (about US$1.55 million).View the full article

Gold Square, George Messina and Michael Lee's Cyclone State (McKinzie), winner of Saturday's Jerome Stakes at the Big A, may contest the one-mile G3 Saudi Derby on Feb. 22 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse or remain local for the one-mile GIII Gotham on Mar. 1–a 50-25-15-10-5 points race for the Kentucky Derby. “He's doing good. He stepped on my foot but otherwise he's doing good,” trainer Chad Summers said, with a laugh. “He came out of it good.” The Big A also offers the nine-furlong GIII Withers on Feb. 1, offering 20-10-6-4-2 points. “I would think the Saudi Derby is a possibility,” said Summers. “He's got 10 points towards the Kentucky Derby, and it is always everybody's dream to head that way, so he will go down to Florida and we'll nominate to everything and see what's what. We know he likes Aqueduct and one mile, and it is 50 points to the winner of the Gotham. We have that in the back of our mind as well.” Summers added, “He's run seven times already so I'd think he'd be doubtful to run in the Withers, just off this performance and having to go from a mile and an eighth back to one mile. Summers explained that he feels the Iowa-bred colt can take another step forward with increased focus in the lane. “The first time we ever breezed him out of the gate, he opened up 10 lengths on a horse. Then when the horse came up to him and he heard another horse, he took off again,” Summers said. “It is him, it is a learning thing. The fact that he wants to re-engage once he hears the footsteps, it is OK. We don't feel like he's tired, with added distance, we think he'll stretch out and be OK.” The post Jerome Winner Cyclone State May Venture to Saudi Derby for Upcoming Start appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article