Wandering Eyes

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

5th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-5, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.30, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. SOL D'ORO (f, 3, Bolt d'Oro–Peru {GB} {MSP, $376,735}, by Motivator {GB}) was a well-intended first-time starter here as the 7-2 favorite. Drawn against the rail, she took up shortly after the start to have only 'Insight' runner Just Silvia (Justify) behind her into the backstretch. Angled off the fence past the half in :47.32, she fanned out across the top of the lane with intent and pushed past Table Flirt (Constitution) in the final sixteenth to graduate by 1 1/4 lengths. After stumbling at the start, Just Silva never factored and came in a wrapped-up 10th. Sol d'Oro is the second foal and first winner for Peru and the family includes champion older mare Waya (Fr) (Faraway Son) as the winner's third dam. Steve Rocco picked up Peru's 2-year-old Midshipman colt for $130,000 at KEESEP last year the mare reported a Golden Pal colt in 2024 before visiting City of Light. Sales History: $70,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Tango Uniform Racing LLC and Steven Rocco; B-Nursery Place Donaldson and Broadbent (KY); T-Christophe Clement. “Where did she come from?!” – @AnnouncerPete #1 SOL D'ORO ($9.00) closed strongly to break her maiden in the fifth race at @GulfstreamPark. The three-year-old filly by @SpendthriftFarm's Bolt d'Oro was ridden by @iradortiz for trainer @clementstable. pic.twitter.com/O3pd5CBuZb — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 5, 2025 The post Sol d’Oro Graduates At First Asking In Gulfstream Maiden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Finalists were determined in each category by voters' top three selections, using a 10-5-1 point basis. Eclipse Award winners are determined solely by first-place votes.View the full article

It was the Christmas present the horses involved didn't deserve, and one that horse racing didn't need. Last month, the Kentucky Humane Society's Equine CARE program rescued 13 horses from a Franklin County farm, including War Envoy, a former stallion and Royal Ascot winner. The news soared around social media and made it onto international news pages Christmas week. “Former Irish-trained one-time champion racehorse found 'starving in a cold mud pen waiting to die' in the US,” wrote The Irish News. “Ex-Aidan O'Brien Royal Ascot winner rescued in US from 'cold mud pen waiting to die,'” wrote British newspaper, The Mirror. Some of the horses were in a pitiful state. According to Olivia Dixon, equine manager for the Kentucky Humane Society, the rented residence wasn't set up for housing that many horses, with little to no shelter in the harsh winter. The horses were fed negligible amounts of hay, she said. One horse was found eating its own feces. Another of the horses rescued–a thrice-raced now 3-year-old colt called Mischief Humor–probably wouldn't have lasted long without swift intervention, said Dixon. “All the stallions were thin, but he was so critical,” said Dixon. “He got down at our facility a little over a week after he came to us. He's at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital right now being lifted with a lift because sometimes digesting food after they come into care takes a lot of energy.” What the case highlights, however, are several common features of a familiar problem. One spans the cult of celebrity. More to the point-the bigger the rescued star, the more likely they are to be rehomed. War Envoy was one of six Thoroughbreds rescued from the farm. They include Handsome Todd, a now 7-year-old colt who raced three times last year, and 8-year-old mare Primela, who last ran at Tampa Bay in early 2020, after being sold at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale for $8,000. The Kentucky Humane Society has received several offers to adopt War Envoy, including from Mick Ruis, who raced the colt and stood him as a stallion. Ruis had also offered to adopt back another of the horses rescued from the farm-a 3-year-old filly he bred called Specific Vow. And while several people have expressed possible interest in some of the other horses, said Dixon, “in my experience with the exception of horses with notable accomplishments like War Envoy, some people want the horse soon after it's rescued but fewer people still want the horse after it's been brought up to weight and healthy, [and] evaluated later.” Another feature of the case is a glaring vulnerability in horse racing's approach to Thoroughbred aftercare: What happens to the countless broodmares and stallions no longer wanted in the breeding shed? “If you ask someone what they're doing with their retired racehorse coming off the track, they usually have an answer,” said Anna Ford, Thoroughbred program director for New Vocations, the nation's largest racehorse adoption program. “The next step is, what do we do with our retired breeding stock?” Ford added. “What are you going to do with your retired broodmares? Or your retired stallions?” War Envoy initially competed under the Aidan O'Brien banner for two seasons, during which time he routinely raced at the top table. In his stateside career, War Envoy made three starts for Wesley Ward before he was sold for $150,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale and subsequently raced for owner-trainer Mick Ruis. Ruis stood War Envoy first in California and then in Pennsylvania. According to The Jockey Club, War Envoy's last active year as a stallion was in 2019, when he covered seven mares. According to Ruis, he kept War Envoy at his Wen-Mick farm in Kentucky when his career as a stallion was over. Ruis put the farm up for sale and was going to take War Envoy to his property in Montana. According to Ruis, an employee at the farm said a brother of a groom who worked for Jose DeLima wanted War Envoy for breeding purposes. DeLima has trained for Ruis. “We thought he was at a good home when we gave him away,” said Ruis. His farm sold in early September. Ruis is unsure when War Envoy adopted out, but he said he didn't know about what happened “until it came out on Twitter.” War Envoy remains under the Kentucky Humane Society's care while he undergoes treatment for malnutrition. Ruis provided the TDN with the name and address of the person who adopted War Envoy. According to Dixon, they don't match the details of the actual rescue, though she was unable to offer more details as it's an open criminal investigation. What this disconnect highlights, however, is yet another all-too-common feature of horse racing's aftercare problem-the way in which horses can change hands with little to no paper trail or system of notification. Indeed, according to the American Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the average horse will have seven different owners throughout its lifetime. Until the traceability problem is fixed, it's impossible to know exactly how many Thoroughbreds annually are slipping through the cracks and into bad spots, say experts. Is the industry actively working on a fix? “That's what we're trying to do,” said Shannon Luce, The Jockey Club vice president of communications, about the organization's traceability initiative, to update its database of digital certificates to ensure the right owner is matched to the right Thoroughbred. “We're trying to figure that out.” The Jockey Club has so far reached out about 5,800 Thoroughbreds that haven't had any activity over the last couple of years. Their overtures have so far focused mainly on sales companies and the racetracks. “We're sending emails saying, 'hey, you have horses that haven't seen any movement, and we want to know where they are. Can you please tell us where the horse is?'” said Luce. “They can reply that they're still in possession of the horse. They can reply that they've sold or transferred it for racing or breeding. It's been sold or transferred for non-racing. It's been consigned to a non-Thoroughbred auction or livestock sale, but it died. Or they decline to answer,” said Luce. Of those 5,800 Thoroughbreds so far, “there have been probably about 1,500 certificates move or change to a different certificate manager,” said Luce. These are all horses with digital certificates. “Later on, we're going to do the horses born in 2017 and before,” said Luce, highlighting older horses without digital certificates. Part of The Jockey Club's plan to encompass this older brigade is to send out surveys. The number of horses that need to be traced is no insignificant number. But the initiative currently appears to have limited visibility. “I wasn't even aware of that,” said Ruis, when asked if he had participated in it. “If I was aware of that, I would have stipulated it when they adopted him that they had to do that.” That highlights another key vulnerability of the initiative if it's ever to be adopted wholesale-that it's voluntary, with no ramifications for non-participation. “All of these things are good if they're used,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). That said, there are some programs tackling the traceability problem at the local level. “We put each case through an automated database runner that every period of time-depending on when they adopt it-they receive emails asking for updates. If [the adoptee] doesn't do the update, we get a trigger to let us know to reach out, so that I can say, 'hey, where's that horse?'” said Kyle Rothfus, co-founder of Mareworthy Charities, a not-for-profit organisation for retired broodmares. Rothfus has poured much time and energy into trying to understand the fate of this particular population. He recently ran the numbers of over 22,600 sales records from Keeneland's November and January sales between 2015 and 2024, and identified certain age thresholds when broodmares appear especially vulnerable to falling into the slaughter pipeline. His analysis identified the following: Median Sale Prices: For mares aged 16, the median price is just $13,000, declining to $7,000 by age 17 and $5,000 by age 19. In contrast, the average median price for mares aged 15 and younger is $25,000. Sales Under $10,000: 49.45% of mares aged 16 and older sell for under $10,000, while only 27.63% of mares aged 15 and younger fall into this price range. According to Rothfus, this highlights the increased risk as mares grow older and move into low-cost market segments. When time allows, Rothfus combs through the list of 23,000 mares released by The Jockey Club that could be introduced or returned to the breeding population, contacting their last known connections. “I'm taking that list and basically saying, 'let's track down the last-known owner. Where did they go? Who's the last listed owner?' And then from that we can build follow-up segments based on why the mare hasn't been in the shed,'” said Rothfus. “Currently it's me on my own with the board,” said Rothfus, about this approach. “We're still at the starting point on it.” Mareworthy's traceability program, said Rothfus, is based on the one used by New Vocations. “It's hard to keep track of a horse over seven different owners,” admitted New Vocation's Ford. But she has several tips for those looking to find a safe home for their retired Thoroughbred. One is to go through an accredited organization. The Jockey Club's online placement page is a useful centralized resource for some of the more prominent such outfits. Another is to stipulate in any contract or bill of sale that the new owners notify them of any future sale or transfer. “Anybody can put a contract together that states whatever your stipulations are when you sell or give a horse away,” Ford said. “In a lot of these cases there's no paper trail. And so, if one of these situations comes about and they can whip out a piece of paper and say, 'I had them sign this contract-it's right here,' publicly at the very least that would look a lot better.” Another approach boils down to good old-fashioned self-policing, especially in an environment of inadequate sanctuary space. “With some of these older mares, should you really be putting them into a third career?” said Ford. “Don't they deserve a nice retirement? Haven't they done enough already?” Some organizations are already taking this approach. “We figured we may as well be proactive instead of waiting around for some kind of rule that's passed, or some sales company decides to do something,” said Walker Hancock, president of Claiborne Farm. “We're taking matters into our own hands.” Starting in 2025, Claiborne Farm will no longer sell any mare that's 17 or older. Furthermore, for clients with these essentially retired broodmares, Claiborne will more than halve their day rate, to $10 a day. “Not that they were going to dump them,” explained Hancock. “But instead of perhaps selling them when they get a little older, they can know that they can live here for the rest of their life for a minimal charge. They'll be able to be turned out in their pasture with their buddies.” Such programs, said Rogers, help foster a broader sense of accountability, so that it might one day become a social “faux pas” to allow a horse in your care to slip into the wrong hands. “Remember when you could smoke everywhere? Smoke at work? Smoke in your office? And now you can't smoke more than 10 feet from your home,” said Clark Rogers. “Maybe it'll one day be socially unacceptable to say, 'I didn't know. I didn't know where my horse went.'” The post War Envoy Story Highlights the Vulnerability of Ex-Breeding Stock appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dornoch (Good Magic), Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and Fierceness (City of Light) in the Three-Year-Old Male category were among the finalists for the 2024 Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing, the National Thoroughbred Racing Associaiton (NTRA) said in a Sunday release. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced on FanDuel TV, and other outlets, during the ceremony, presented by John Deere, Keeneland, and The Jockey Club, on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2024 Horse of the Year. Of the 240 eligible voters represented by the NTRA, consisting of racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), and Daily Racing Form, 208 (87%) took part in the voting. Finalists were determined in each category by voters' top three selections, using a 10-5-1 point basis. Eclipse Award winners are determined solely by first-place votes. The 2024 Eclipse Awards Finalists, with the exception of Horse of the Year, (in alphabetical order) are: Two-Year-Old Male: Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), Gaming (Game Winner); Two-Year-Old Filly: Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro), Immersive (Nyquist), Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); Three-Year-Old Male: Dornoch, Fierceness, Sierra Leone; Three-Year-Old Filly: Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal), She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}), Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna); Older Dirt Male: Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast), National Treasure (Quality Road), Straight No Chaser (Speightster); Older Dirt Female: Adare Manor (Uncle Mo), Idiomatic (Curlin), Raging Sea (Curlin); Male Sprinter: Cogburn (Not This Time), Straight No Chaser, The Chosen Vron (Vronsky); Female Sprinter: Society (Gun Runner), Soul of an Angel (Atreides), Ways and Means (Practical Joke); Male Turf Horse: Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Johannes (Nyquist), Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}); Female Turf Horse: Cinderella's Dream (GB), Moira (Ghostzapper), She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}); Steeplechase Horse: Carloun (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), L'Imperator (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Snap Decision (Hard Spun); Owner: Godolphin LLC, Juddmonte, Klaravich Stables, Inc.; Breeder: Calumet Farm, Godolphin, Judy Hicks; Trainer: Chad Brown, Brad Cox, Kenny McPeek; Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione, Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat; Apprentice Jockey: Erik Asmussen, Gabriel Maldonado, J.G. Torrealba. Each finalist will receive two complimentary tickets to the Eclipse Awards, courtesy of The Jockey Club. During the live show, finalists for Horse of the Year will be revealed. In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Mike Gillum will receive the Eclipse Award as the 2024 Horseplayer of the Year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories. Click here for more information concerning Eclipse-related events. Eclipse Award Nominations Announcement https://t.co/sIeqKgMbnb — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 5, 2025 The post Dornoch, Sierra Leone and Fierceness Among Finalists For The 54th Annual Eclipse Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ascot Racecourse announced on Sunday that prize-money at the track will reach a record £17.75 million in 2025, with the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes scheduled to be run for £1.5 million to make it the richest race ever staged at Ascot. The King George, which was worth £1.25 million in 2024, will also become a 'Run For Free' race, with connections of all horses that run (except supplementary entries) refunded their entry fees in full. Ruth Quinn, director of international racing and development at the British Horseracing Authority, said, “The King George is obviously a wonderfully iconic race and plays a vital role in the programme, particularly in terms of the ever-important middle-distance horse. Ascot's 'Run For Free' concept, especially for this extremely valuable prize, is an example of tremendous initiative and dynamic thinking. “The £1.5m prize fund, particularly against the backdrop of increasing international competition to entice high-quality runners, is extremely welcome news. The ability for owners to have entry stakes returned, and therefore be able to compete in this great race for free, shows welcome enterprise and should help to increase the attractiveness of lining up in this event.” The £17.75 million on offer at Ascot in 2025 excludes the industry-owned QIPCO British Champions Day (£4.1 million in 2024). Of that figure, £10 million will be up for grabs at Royal Ascot alone, with no race run for less than £110,000 and all Group 1 races worth a minimum of £650,000. Other race condition changes in 2025 will see the early closing entry requirements for the four Group 2 races at Royal Ascot that currently close in April removed. These are the Ribblesdale Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes, Duke of Cambridge Stakes and Hardwicke Stakes. The combined effect of the prize-money increases and race condition changes will see Ascot's executive contribution to prize-money increase from £9.4m in 2024 to a budgeted £10.1m in 2025. Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot Racecourse, added, “We have been thinking about the concept of 'Run For Free' for the King George for some time as a mechanism for incentivising runners at decision-making time, as there are other alternatives lower down the Pattern and overseas. “Field sizes are very important, especially in the World Pool era, and we hope that connections of horses that aren't at the top of the betting might see this as a good reason to go for the big target, especially with record prize-money on offer. “The four races with historical early closing at the Royal Meeting will now close at the five-day stage, giving connections more time to identify the right horses for these races, with the Epsom Classics, Coronation Cup and such like behind them. “Once again, we are ensuring that no race at Ascot will be run for less than the previous year.” The post King George to be Richest Race Ever Staged at Ascot in 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Francis Lui doubts whether promising galloper will make Classic Mile field, but says Classic Cup and Derby are likely aims.View the full article

Six-year-old may be set for a date with Romantic Warrior in the US$12 million Group One on April 5.View the full article

Last year's Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Puchkine (Fr) has settled in well at Haras de Beaumont with the stud manager Mathieu Alex saying that, “everyone who has seen him, loves him.” Puchkine will provide something a little bit different for breeders in France and his fee has been set at €8,500. The speedy son of Starspangledbanner (Aus) went unbeaten at two before confirming his progression into a top-notch three-year-old when taking out the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. It was after that Group 1 triumph when the Chehboub family bought a 50 per cent share in the colt, who joined Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact (Ire), Intello (Ger), Sealiway (Fr) and Stunning Spirit (GB) on the roster. Alex said, “We bought into Puchkine straight after his Group 1 win. The Prix Jean Prat is quite a prestigious race, which has been won by Too Darn Hot (GB) and Pinatubo (Ire) in the past. “Puchkine is a very good-looking horse. He's by Starspangledbanner, who obviously needs no introduction. And we also liked the fact that he was unbeaten as a two-year-old. He raced three times and won three times, including a very impressive five-length win on debut. So you know, he's got a lot of things going for him and I think France does need the stallion that is able to produce fast and precocious horses.” He added, “I think the career of a stallion at two is very important. People are looking at it very closely. He raced from seven furlongs to a mile, quite versatile also as a three-year-old. But he was a really fast horse, a sprinter, and he won the Prix Jean Prat in a very good time. He was tough and genuine. Always gave his best and has a very good mind.” All told, Puchkine ran eight times for Jean-Claude Rouget and won four of those starts. He amassed close to €300,000 in prize-money and, in that Prix Jean Prat win, he had the likes of French 1,000 Guineas runner-up Kathmandu (Ire), Beauvatier (Fr) and Vespertillio (Fr) behind. A half-brother to Listed performer Slevka (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}), Puchkine is the fourth foal out of the unraced So You Think (NZ) mare Vadyska (Ire), herself a half-sister to German Listed winner Romina Power (Fr). She hails from the family of Group 1 Fillies' Mile winner Lyric Of Light (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}). One thing is for sure, Puchkine won't lack support in his debut season at stud. His breeder Alain Jathiere along with Gerard Augustin-Normand remain involved in his ownership and are understood to be planning on sending him mares this year. Puchkine's addition to the roster is another reminder of the massive strides that Haras de Beaumont has made in just a short space of time. Arc hero Ace Impact is very much the star attraction at the stud and the excitement is building for his first foals in 2025. There is also great anticipation building about Sealiway, whose first yearlings will hit the market in the autumn, with Alex describing the British Champion Stakes winner as “a very important horse” for the farm. He concluded, “You know, Haras de Beaumont is a young operation, but 2024 and 2025 are very exciting years. In '24 we saw Ace Impact joining the team and he covered 180 mares, including 115 black-type or black type producers. So he had a very good year in year one and received great support from all over the world. He is obviously a very exciting horse to have here.” “We also had the first foals born by Sealiway in 2024. Sealiway is a very important horse to the farm as we bought him as a yearling. He raced for the team and now, being a stallion, he's a dual Group 1 winner. He won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere very impressively and won the Champions Stakes at Ascot at three so it's exciting.” The post Mathieu Alex Says Puchkine Can Satisfy French Breeders’ Need For Precocity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Size claims Tai Tong Handicap with in-form sprinter but stablemate’s fifth as $1.8 favourite leaves him scratching his head.View the full article

2025 Gilgandra Cup winner, Just Go Bang. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Just Go Bang showcased grit and stamina to win the $50,000 Gilgandra Cup over 1600m, with Kody Nestor guiding the Nick Olive-trained gelding to victory. The five-year-old son of Sizzling overcame the challenge of carrying top weight, dictating terms from the front to hold off late-charging rivals as the $4.80 second favourite with top bookmakers. Breaking sharply from the gates, Nestor took the initiative early, pushing forward to secure the lead. Despite not initially intending to dictate the pace, Nestor adapted to the situation and allowed Just Go Bang to settle into a strong rhythm. Turning for home, the gelding repelled a determined challenge from Sabuki, who loomed large late, with Sea of Flames running on gamely for third. 2025 Gilgandra Cup replay – Just Go Bang https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Gilgandra-2025-Gilgandra-Cup-05012025-Just-Go-Bang-Nick-Olive-Kody-Nestor.mp4 Post-race, trainer Nick Olive lauded both horse and jockey for their execution. “I didn’t think we’d get to the front, but I wanted to be super positive out of the gates,” Olive said. “Kody knows this track backwards, and it was a bloody great effort. He’s a nice horse, and he’ll be even better as we stretch him out in distance.” Reflecting on his victory, Nestor acknowledged the unplanned front-running tactics. “It probably wasn’t my intention to lead,” Nestor admitted. “But at the first corner, I realised I had to take bad luck out of the equation. Coming into the home turn, I felt like we had them, and he just kept giving.” Just Go Bang’s victory was a testament to his consistency, adding another highlight to a career that now boasts nine wins from 22 starts. The gelding has proven adept at competing across various distances and surfaces, with the Gilgandra Cup win further affirming his status as a reliable campaigner. Sabuki finished a gallant second under Michael Heagney, continuing her excellent form, while Sea of Flames, last year’s winner, delivered another strong showing for trainer Michael Mulholland. Olive praised the gelding’s resilience and strategic placement. “He had even been considered for a tougher race in town yesterday, but we opted for the softer option, and it worked out perfectly. It’s a great result for Graham, the owner, who’s been a fantastic supporter.” Just Go Bang’s next steps may include tackling longer trips as Olive looks to maximise the gelding’s staying potential. Horse racing news View the full article

Kevin Myers should never be underestimated when he takes a team of horses to the West Coast, and neither should his apprentice Lily Sutherland, who included the Recreation Hotel Greymouth Cup (2000m) in her five-win haul on Sunday with Kick On (NZ) (Per Incanto). The 20-year-old hoop rode out her claim at Otaki on Boxing Day, but that hasn’t slowed her progress in the slightest, riding winners at New Plymouth and Tauherenikau in the subsequent days. Prior to the Omoto meeting, Sutherland was the favourite for the jockey’s challenge and she wasted no time getting on the board, winning the first event of the day aboard Peter Didham’s Havarti (NZ) (Swiss Ace). She saluted aboard the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Russian Rosette (NZ) (Russian Revolution) in the third, alongside victories with Trauma (NZ) (Time Test) and Bernardo (NZ) (Belardo), both prepared by Wanganui-based Myers. The proven talent of Myers’ contingent, Kick On, was slightly underrated heading into the feature event of the day, starting at $4.50 despite coming out of classy fields in the North Island this campaign. Two of the fancied runners, Mahoe and Reverberations, powered from the gates and were prominent early, while Sutherland found a good position off the fence in fourth with Kick On. Mahoe maintained his lead and gave the field something to chase on the home turn, but Kick On had plenty of momentum, pouncing to the lead at the 150m and drawing away by an extending 3 – ¾ lengths. The Buffer closed well to finish in second ahead of Star Ballot and Charbano. A humble Sutherland was full of praise for Kick On, who she had ridden to success twice previously. “I wanted to be positive and we were, I let one out in front of me but he was in a good rhythm so we just stayed where we were,” she said. “I got going and he’s just been a little bit too good. “He’s definitely been going well and he’s run big races in stakes company, so he has the class. “I’m very grateful to the whole team at the Myers stables for the work they do on these horses, I just get the easy job of sitting on them and getting them to run. “I’ve just had good support all the way through.” Sutherland’s quintet of winners has her sitting at 43 for the season, just nine shy of her career-best 52, a total which won her last year’s apprentice premiership. A son of Per Incanto, Kick On is out of star steeplechasing mare Kick Back, who won the Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4900m) and Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) before retiring with 11 wins, the first of those coincidently coming at the Omoto meeting in 2013. Bred and owned by the Trotter family, Kick On has won seven races and just shy of $250,000 in stakes in a 44-start career, which also included finishing second to He’s A Doozy in the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) in 2022. View the full article

Dual Group One winner Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) is scheduled to kick off his campaign in next month’s Apollo Stakes. It is just under six weeks until Ceolwulf is scheduled to make his return to the races and trainer Joe Pride says the dual Group One winner is shaping up as a “bigger, stronger horse” heading into the autumn. Ceolwulf announced himself as one of the rising stars of the Australian turf last spring when he claimed back-to-back Group One wins in breathtaking fashion over the Randwick mile in the Epsom Handicap and King Charles III Stakes. The four-year-old is currently second favourite behind Cox Plate-winning star mare Via Sistina in an early market for the weight-for-age Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April and Pride is planning to kick off the gelding’s campaign in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 15. “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.” Ceolwulf was given a spell after his five-start Sydney spring campaign, which netted three wins, before returning to training to build towards his first targets of 2025. “He’s put on a heap of weight,” Pride said. “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.” Pride plans to give Ceolwulf two barrier trials leading into the Apollo but is yet to lock in when they will be. Ceolwulf finished runner-up in two Group 1s in the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby during his three-year-old season, when racing as a colt, before being gelded ahead of his spring campaign last year. He won a benchmark-100 race second-up last spring over 1500m at Rosehill, then was runner-up in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) before taking out the Epsom and King Charles III Stakes. View the full article

Riccarton trainer Mike McCann kicked off his week on the West Coast in emphatic style at Omoto on Sunday, taking out the Westland Racing Club Miss Scenicland Stakes (1500m) with progressive mare Sprocket Rocket (NZ) (What’s The Story). The daughter of What’s The Story had found the winner’s enclosure over 2000m back in September, and since, had produced consistent performances in strong Rating 75 fields. Dropping back to the 1500m, Sprocket Rocket had opened at $14 with TAB bookmakers, but the added benefit of apprentice jockey Ruvanesh Muniandy’s three-kilogram claim had her price shorten significantly, starting at $7 on the Fixed Odds. Listed winner Epee Beel and North Island visitor Regal Dice were the key picks in the fillies and mares contest and both jumped away positively, with the latter eventually taking the lead by default heading into the first turn. Sprocket Rocket initially settled near the tail of the field, but Muniandy was assertive, tracking wide along the back stretch and took over the lead at the 800m. Epee Beel stalked the first pair and looked likely turning for home, but Sprocket Rocket was in for the fight and lifted in the closing stages, taking the victory by a head. Retail Therapy was the eye-catcher in the remainder of the field, missing the start by a significant margin and powering home into third. McCann, who also part-owns the five-year-old, was delighted with the result in a track he anticipated would suit his mare. “On her day, she’s a good mare,” he said. “I’ve always rated her, but my theory is that you only go somewhere once and if it doesn’t work out, you go back to where you belong. Today was her day to go here, the track suited while it possibly didn’t suit some other horses and she got what she was after. “He (Muniandy) ran half a furlong sooner than I wanted. I told him where to go from and when he went, I thought woah, just wait a bit longer, but he knows what he’s doing and he knows this mare. “You can give them too many instructions sometimes, I can’t feel what she’s like out there.” The West Coast circuit continues on to Reefton on Wednesday before the Kumara meeting next Saturday, which will play host to the iconic Kumara Gold Nuggets (1800m), a race McCann is now considering for Sprocket Rocket. “If she comes through this, we may as well go for the Nuggets now,” he said. Out of a one-win mare Sudders, Sprocket Rocket has now won three races and placed in a further seven from 24 starts, earning just over $100,000. View the full article

Ciaron Maher is likely to resist testing Mrs Chrissie (NZ) (Per Incanto) at the Flemington 1200 metres for the first time in next Saturday’s Gr.3 Standish Handicap (1200m), instead setting his sights on a Listed race over a shorter trip on the Australia Day weekend. The speedster will most likely next run on January 25, in either the A$175,000 Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield or the A$120,000 Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, which gives her a touch over four weeks between runs after her Christmas Stakes second placing on Boxing Day. That was her second Stakes placing, after a Gr.3 Monash Stakes third, but she is still seeking her first Black Type win and Maher’s assistant trainer said the January 25 events shaped as more suitable options. “Knowing her, 1000 and 1100 (metres) are her best trips and if we can space her runs, which we like doing, we do,” Turnbull said. “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.” The daughter of Per Incanto boasts six wins – the most of recent of which came in effortless fashion first-up at Ballarat – and eight placings from 21 starts and Turnbull said they had not given up on a Group 1 throw-at-the-stumps if the six-year-old could land a Stakes win. “Pie-in-the-sky you would say a Grand Final could be a Sangster (Stakes) – you might have a crack at six furlongs in mares company – but we are very realistic and the ownership group is much the same,” Turnbull said. “If we could win a Listed or Group 3 in mares grade, that’s number one (goal), and then we could potential look at a Sangster.” View the full article

Guy Heveldt, Jayne Ivil and Bruce Sherwin review a super day of racing from Trentham, highlighted by the Group 1 TAB Telegraph and New Year’s Day racing at Ellerslie. Reflect on the career of retired jockey Opie Bosson and Noel Harris’ New Year’s Day honours. Weigh In, January 5 View the full article

Roger James and Robert Wellwood have spent plenty of time in the three-year-old spotlight in the last couple of seasons, and the Cambridge trainers unveiled another bright prospect in Saturday’s Thames Valley Insurance 3YO (1150m) at Te Aroha. James and Wellwood’s star performers Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) and Orchestral (NZ) (SavabeeL) have combined to win the last two editions of the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), along with a Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and a Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m). Those are enormous shoes to fill for this season’s crop of age-group talent, but debutant Dealt With (NZ) (Ace High) has passed his first test in style. The Ace High gelding went into his first raceday appearance with two trials under his belt, including a five-length win over 800m at Ellerslie in September. He was sent out as a $3 favourite at Te Aroha on Saturday and produced a dominant performance that put him in the picture for bigger assignments later in the summer. Drawn gate seven in a nine-horse field, Dealt With was caught wide in the early stages of the race and jockey George Rooke had to urge him forward to take the lead and move across to the rail. Those early exertions might have been expected to take a toll on Dealt With, and he made things even harder for himself by racing greenly and drifting from side to side in the home straight. But despite all that, he pulled away from his outclassed opposition in the final 200m, cruising to a comfortable victory by just over a length. “All credit to the horse,” James said. “They didn’t give him the lead easily, so he had quite a lot of work to do early, and then he was green in the straight. But when he was by himself in those closing stages of the race, he looked good. “He’s run a time that not many maidens are running (1:09.37), so that’s probably a fair indication of his ability. “There’s a lot of improvement there, that’s for certain. He’s a big, powerful horse, but just very raw at this early stage.” The TAB now rates Dealt With a $21 chance for the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 8. “Everyone wants to talk about that race, but we won’t get too carried away just yet,” James said. “We’ll get him home and make a plan around the rest of his campaign.” Dealt With is by Ace High out of the winning Exceed and Excel mare Scrutiny. His breeders Hallmark Stud offered him in Book 1 of Karaka 2023, where James and Wellwood bought him for $90,000. View the full article

Star filly Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) continued her preparation towards another Group One goal with an impressive exhibition gallop at Te Aroha on Saturday. Captured By Love capped off a successful spring campaign when taking out the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November, a contest that was tipped to be a match-race between the daughter of Written Tycoon and Alabama Lass (Alabama Express), the latter finishing second. Alabama Lass joined Captured By Love in the 1000m gallop between races, where by instruction, jockey Matt Cartwright guided the Te Akau Racing filly through her work individually, coming home in 37.5 for the last 600m. “It was meant to be a quiet gallop, home in around 38, and I’m very happy with how she went,” Cartwright said. “We went with Alabama Lass, but they were to work by themselves and that’s what happened. She followed me and I did what I was instructed to do. “It was my first time riding her. She gave me a lovely feel and she’ll be a good ride for Craig Williams in the Railway.” The two speedy fillies will cross paths again on Karaka Millions night at Ellerslie in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m), where Captured By Love’s trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have engaged the champion Victorian hoop (Williams) to take the reins. Williams has been successful in many of Australia’s greatest races, including the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) and A$3 million Gr.1 Russell Balding Stakes (1200m) last spring with wonder mare Bella Nipotina. He is also well-known for his association with Kiwi-bred star Mr Brightside, the pair taking the $3 million Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) during Melbourne Cup Week. At the set weights and penalties conditions of the Railway, Captured By Love will carry just 52.5kg, with Alabama Lass at 52kg. They are both well-liked by the TAB in the early Futures market, sitting at $6 and $3 respectively. View the full article