Wandering Eyes

With Dubai Honour in town and Voyage Bubble alive in the Triple Crown, fans are expecting fireworks at Sha Tin on Sunday.View the full article

English jockey George Rooke has enjoyed a breakthrough season in New Zealand, and he has been rewarded for his consistency with a trip to Sydney this week. The 24-year-old hoop will cross the Tasman to partner the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained She’s A Dealer (Ace High) in the Chalouhi Handicap (1800m) at Randwick on Saturday, with a view to heading towards the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm next month. Rooke has ridden the Rich Hill Stud-bred and raced filly in all three of her starts to date, including two victories over 1400m and a mile at Ellerslie and Te Rapa respectively. Saturday will be Rooke’s first taste of Australian racing, and he is looking forward to the challenge. “It’s very exciting to be riding her,” he said. “This is my first time riding in Australia, so it’s a big ask and I have been trusted, so hopefully we can deliver and it’s a good day. I will walk it (Randwick track) tomorrow (Friday) and see what it’s like.” The Kiwi raiders are set to be met by heavy track conditions this weekend, with Randwick already rated a Heavy9, with rain forecast in the lead-up to the weekend. The wet conditions don’t perturb Rooke, who believes his charge will handle them well, and he is confident of a bold showing from barrier seven. “She won at Ellerslie on a Soft5, and she won quite impressively,” he said. “It will be very Soft ground (on Saturday) and we have got a good draw, so it gives me options, and going further will suit. Everything is in plan for her to run a good race.” Rooke, who hails from Hampshire in England, is currently in his first season of riding in New Zealand and sits ninth on the national jockeys’ premiership with 55 wins, including victory aboard Dream Of The Moon in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton last month. He is enjoying his time down under and the experiences it has provided him to date, and he is looking forward to adding another this weekend. “I have been here seven months now and it has been very good to me, I love it,” Rooke said. “I am getting a lot more opportunities and I am riding better horses. “I am really looking forward to Saturday. This will be my third country I have ridden in – England, New Zealand and Australia.” While excited about this weekend, Rooke is also looking forward to his riding prospects in his adopted homeland as he heads into the new season. “There are a lot of very nice two-year-olds, turning three, that I am excited to ride,” he said. “So hopefully, all going well, I could have a good year.” View the full article

Veteran handler growing in confidence ahead of stable star’s first tilt at 2,400m in final Group One of the season.View the full article

Bill Thurlow will be represented far and wide in the coming days, although his southern-most runner is on a one-way ticket. He has bid farewell to Rebal Agent (NZ) (Complacent) who will make his final appearance under the Waverley trainer’s name when he lines up in the Speights Rating Handicap (1600m) at Wingatui on Friday. The son of Complacent has a win and six placings from 13 appearances, but connections believe he will be better placed in the South Island on a permanent basis. “He’ll be staying down there and will go on to Steven Prince, so he won’t be coming home,” Thurlow said. “The owners think he’s probably met his level up here and they’ve got plenty of others and decided to put their money into the younger ones, which is fair enough.” Meanwhile, Thurlow is hoping No Rain Ever can return to her best in the KPMG Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa where the daughter of No Nay Never will be partnered by Warren Kennedy. Last season’s Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) winner has a couple of third placings and a last-start sixth at Wanganui from her most recent appearances. “She’s had been a tad disappointing, but she has had a few niggly problems,” Thurlow said. “We think we’ve ironed them out and got her back on track. “She needs a good track and we’re always going to struggle this time of the year, but it looks like we might just be lucky enough to get a reasonable one on Saturday. “The weights are a bit compressed with Harlech (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in there, it’s a bit of a shame and there are horses above her that probably should have more weight than her under normal circumstances.” No Rain Ever’s immediate program will firstly depend on her performance at Te Rapa and next week’s forecast. “If it stayed really good, there’s a faint chance she could back up at Wanganui (Listed AGC Training Stakes, 1600m) but if it rained that just wouldn’t happen,” Thurlow said. “She was going to run last Sunday (at Hawera), but it turned on us when it rained so we late scratched her.” Thurlow will also have three runners at New Plymouth on Saturday and tipped Towrope (NZ) (Zacinto) as the stable’s best when he steps out in the Wash Squad Maiden (1600m) with apprentice Jim Chung to ride the Zacinto gelding. He has gone close to breaking through several times with seven placings to his credit and has had a trial to fit him for his return. “He’s probably our best chance, I’m happy with him fresh-up for the mile,” Thurlow said. Merchant Navy filly Pinhook will take aim at the AB Electrical 3YO (1400m) while Our Lady Brooke (NZ) (Derryn) resumes in the Landmark Homes Handicap (1600m). “Pinkhook was disappointing in her last run for no reason, she was a bit woeful but has been working really well and Our Lady Brooke has trialled and jumped out, but she may a run,” Thurlow said. View the full article

Taranaki gelding Chajaba (NZ) (Keano) has a good association with the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m), and owner-trainer Tina Egan would dearly love to take out this year’s edition with her homebred. The eight-year-old son of Keano was runner-up in the New Plymouth feature two years ago behind winter supremo Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed_, while he finished fifth in last year’s running. “The Opunake Cup is definitely his main aim, he has had a second and a fifth in it, and it would be great to win it,” Egan said. He will kick-off his preparation towards his ultimate target in two months when he heads to New Plymouth on Saturday to tackle the Seaton Park 1400. Egan is happy enough with her charge in the lead-up to his first-up assignment, but she does expect him to take plenty of improvement out of the run. “He has had a couple of jump-outs and he is a bit more forward than last year,” Egan said. “He pulled a muscle last year, so we were on the backfoot a little bit. “He usually improves with his first race and goes well second-up, so we are not expecting big things, plus it is going to be a better track, but he loves New Plymouth.” The Opunake Cup is a ballot exempt race for the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton in August, and while Chajaba has yet to be tested over a mile, Egan hasn’t ruled out a crack at the southern feature if her were to win his main target. “I would like to try him over a mile,” she said. “We thought about the Winter Cup a couple of years ago, but he hadn’t been tried over a mile. I would give him a race somewhere over a mile, somewhere like Te Rapa would be ideal, before going down there if he were to win the Opunake Cup.” Egan has bred from the family for several generations, and Chajaba is particularly sentimental for the Stratford horsewomen given he is named after her three children – Chase, Jade, and Bailey. The chestnut gelding has been a standout for the family, winning seven and placing in six of his 27 career starts to date, and earned nearly $160,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Harlech (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has returned to Pam Gerard’s Matamata base after another successful southern campaign, and he’ll aim to continue that form closer to home at Te Rapa on Saturday. After winning the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1400m) earlier in his preparation at Wingatui, Harlech recorded his second consecutive runner-up finish in the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), despite the unfavourable track conditions. With minimal options left in the South Island, the son of Darci Brahma headed home and has impressed Gerard since, enough so to press on through the winter period if the right surfaces arise. “He’s really not a heavy tracker and hated every minute of it in the Cup, but his class, being well and wanting to be out there racing got him that result,” she said. “He was going nowhere at all and managed to pick himself up and get through it, so it was a big effort. “We brought him back up because they were going to the synthetic, and that’s not me and not him. We thought he may be heading towards the paddock for a spell, but he’s that well when he got home we thought we’d keep him going. “If we got a good track, we’d race and if they were heavy, we’d put him aside. It looks like the track will be nice, probably the best track he’s raced on all season.” The Group One performer will contest the KPMG Mile (1600m) on Saturday, where Hayley Hassman’s four-kilogram claim has lessened his weight impost to a competitive 58kg. “The weight is definitely a query, but he’s got that for a reason,” Gerard said. “He’s done well down south, it hasn’t been a fantastic season, but he’s still top of the pops. “We always thought this would be his last season, but he seems to be getting better and better, so we’ll leave it up to him. He’ll have a bit of a break at some stage, but he does lots of different things, going jumping, doing dressage and goes out and about all the time, the variety really works for him. “It really depends on the weather, but being an older horse, I don’t think he likes being out in the paddock that much and we’ve got some races up at Ruakaka on better tracks that could suit him.” Harlech’s speedy stablemate Shoes (NZ) (Derryn) also returned to the north recently, having collected a fourth placing in the Listed Timaru Stakes (1200m) during her travels. Gerard had also considered a spell for the Derryn mare, but a big performance to finish just short of progressive gelding Force Of Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) called for a change of plans. “She’s come home from being down south as well and we got a little bit of black-type, probably not the black-type we were looking for but things just didn’t go right for her,” Gerard said. “Then she raced super at Wellington, she was in it for a long way on the worst part of the track. “She was pretty fired up when she got home and I thought she may be telling us it was the end of the season, but we gave her one more and she ran a beauty. “I think she’s gone forward since then, she’s very well and the distance suits.” Kelly Myers will partner Shoes in the Jarvis Trading 1100. Gerard will have a sole representative at Ellerslie on Sunday, with well-performed maidener Kind Of Blue chasing that elusive first win in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1300m). “She’s just a little, slight filly that has taken time to mature,” Gerard said. “She doesn’t like a wet track, but with Ellerslie there, we still have options that are available. She’s probably coming to the end of her season, but she looked like last start that she may be looking for the 1400m, where in the past we thought 1200 would be her limit. “We’ve gone in the middle at 1300 so we’ll see how she goes.” View the full article

After a couple of encouraging runs on the flat, premier jumper Lord Spencer (NZ) (Zed) will be back to doing what he does best on Saturday. The son of Zed will line up in the Jones Trucking Hurdle (2800m) at Te Rapa with Lemmy Douglas to continue his association with the seven-year-old. They will return to the scene of their greatest triumph, having memorably combined to lift last season’s Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) title. Lord Spencer was then sent for a deserved break and resumed last month when third over 1600m at Waverley and the Wanganui gelding made the short return trip there to again run third over 2100m. Most recently, he tailed the field home in a Rating 65 event over 2200m at Trentham, but trainer JJ Rayner wasn’t downcast. “He’s coming up really well and that last run was just typical of him,” she said. “He didn’t want to go and then picked up again late, as if he had another round to go so, I was happy enough. “It was another blow out for him and his runs before that were quite handy.” Lord Spencer has come through the outing without incident, although Rayner isn’t necessarily expecting fireworks in his return to racing over fences. “He looks good and is doing well, it will be another run under his belt on Saturday,” she said. “There are a few hard ones in there, I don’t know if he can beat the Fannin horse (Fourty Eight) (NZ) (Ekraar) home first-up and English Gambler will go to the front and go like the clappers while the tracks are good. “As long as he’s running home okay and pulls up well, then I’ll be very happy.” All going to plan, Lord Spencer will head back to Te Rapa next month. “He’ll run in the Waikato Hurdles (3200m), we’ll see how things go but we’ll probably look at Christchurch again and the Northern,” Rayner said. Lord Spencer finished runner-up in the Sydenham Hurdles (3200m) last winter before a gallant fourth in the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) ahead of his win in the Great Northern. However, his main targets have yet to be locked in stone with the bigger fences also an option. “We might go steeplechasing somewhere along the line. I think he will be a great ‘chaser, he settles well, relaxes and switches off,” Rayner said. “We’ll see whether it might be the National Hurdles or Steeples, we’ll make a decision on that later on.” Rayner said multiple flat winner Tutin Cans (NZ) (Alamosa) was a possible travelling mate for Lord Spencer. “He’ll start in a maiden hurdle on June 14 (at Te Rapa) and we’ll just see how he progresses. “He goes nicely on the flat and jumps well so he could be one to go.” View the full article

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 17:13, PRIX HOCQUART-G3, €80,000, 3yo, 11fT Field: Asmarani (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}), Zekret (Zarak {Fr}), Zarakchic (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Rafale Design (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Maupassant (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Duty (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Golden Weaver (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Lifetimes (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Lazio (Ger) (Make Believe {GB}), Avide (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Connections of last year's winner Calandagan are back with their G1 Grand Prix de Paris entry Asmarani, who could be ridden positively given that has already proven he stays further than this at Saint-Cloud last month. The relative of Azamour meets strong opposition from German raiders in Lazio and Lifetimes, with the former registering an eight-length win in the G2 Gran Criterium in October before finishing second in Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic at the start of the month. A half-brother to the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner La Petite Coco, Lifetimes is the G3 Preis der Winterfavoriten winner, so the G1 Deutsches Derby will be on the mind of Peter Schiergen. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 19:33, PRIX FINLANDE-Listed, €55,000, 3yo, f, 9fT Field: Cankoura (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}), Paix Des Sames (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}), Ilda Rosa (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Temptable (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Reine De Medicis (Ire) (Romanised {Ire}), Wassail (War Front). TDN Verdict: Paix Des Dames had Temptable back in third over this course and distance in April and could be the answer, although Cankoura probably has more to offer back up in trip after finishing fourth in the Listed Prix des Lilas. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 16:38, PRIX DE MONTRETOUT-Listed, €52,000, 4yo/up, 8fT Field: Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Narkez (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Quasar (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), Siam Paragon (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}), Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), Start Of Day (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Verdict: This is an intriguing affair, with last year's G3 Jersey Stakes winner and G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Haatem looking to build on his return fifth in the G2 Sandown Mile. Also here are the G2 Summer Mile winner Quddwah and the G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange runner-up Start Of Day, so this should be an adequate test for the Wathnan representative. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Asmarani Has A Point To Prove In Hocquart appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz Team Coppins will again be out in force at Cambridge tonight as junior driver Kate Coppins looks to continue her good form in the sulky. She has three drives, all for her grandmother, Morrinsville trainer Jill Coppins. In Race 4, the Wednesday Quiz Night at The Clubhouse Handicap Trot she takes the reins behind Bonny Parker, who ran third her last start at Cambridge on May 6. It was her first placing in five starts. “It was a huge improvement for her, we’ve had a lot of trouble with her early on just getting her trotting, so with her coming third it was a huge shock to us,” she said. “It’s a big step up racing the one wins and the higher graded horses, but she tries her hardest no matter what and if she trots all the way she could hopefully get a nice placing.” Her best of the night is in Race 6, the NZMCA Parking at Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace in the form of Jaccka Opa who ran into a strong second last start on the course. “We were quite shocked with him last start too, we’d just changed his training around a little bit and for him to come out and do that really surprised us.” “I think tonight he should go another good race, being 2700 metres and the races that he’s won down south have all been over the 2600 so we think it might be right up his alley.” President Flynntin rounds out her night in Race 7, the Hire a Venue at Cambridge Raceway Handicap Trot and his last start win bodes well for his chances this evening. “It was a pretty good feeling, it never seems to stop being exciting,” said Coppins. “I think he should go pretty good tonight, fingers crossed he’ll trot but he’s been pretty consistent lately with his manners so long as I put him in the race he should be a pretty big chance again.” To make this all even more special for Coppins is that she gets to do it all for her family, and especially her grandmother. “Honestly it’s very hard to put into words the excitement of just coming in a place let alone winning for her, the excitement in her just brings me so much joy and being in those colours, every time I go out there I feel really proud.” “The amount of work she puts in and everyone else as well, mum and dad, they put their whole life into it to get the horses to the races for me and I wouldn’t be here without their support, especially nana.” So far Coppins, in just her second year of driving, has won seven races from 73 drives. View the full article

By Jonny Turner Carter Dalgety is opting for quality rather than quantity this harness racing weekend. Dalgety heads to Winton on Thursday to team up with a select book of drives including The Lazarus Effect. The talented pacer will put his unbeaten record for trainer Bob Butt on the line in search of a penalty-free junior driver’s win. “I was thrilled to get the call-up from Bob,” Dalgety said. “I know he has always been a lovely horse, even before he raced Nathan Purdon had a good opinion of him.” “Then he was super impressive in his two starts for Bob.” “He has had a few issues along the way but it is great that Bob has him going well again.” “His trial at Rangiora was very impressive, he probably isn’t going to need to run a faster quarter on Thursday.” The Lazarus Effect zipped over his final 400m in 26sec to win his only public appearance since winning on New Zealand Cup Day of last year. The pacer heads to Winton unbeaten in two starts, while also having won all of his trials and workouts. Dalgety also combines with Tokyo Rose in heat two of the Silk Road Series at Winton on Thursday. Though the mare has drawn out in barrier 7, she looks well placed after taking on good company at Addington recently. “She has run into some smart horses lately,” Dalgety said. “I haven’t driven her for a little while, but she has gone some decent races even though she hasn’t been in the money lately.” “I think the Winton track will really suit her, she’s a handy chance.” Sheila Laxon appears to be another key drive for Dalgety following her fresh-up victory at Ashburton recently. “Her maiden win was nice, it is never easy for any horse to step up into that next grade.” “But she looks to have a bit of upside to her.” Dalgety also links up with stablemates Erratic and Sherwood Maggie at Winton. The reinsman’s attention will turn to Group 1 racing at Addington on Friday night. Dalgety will link up with the top dog among New Zealand’s two-year-old male pacing ranks in Fugitive, who starts in the New Zealand Welcome Stakes. “He has been up a long time, he was trialling early and he obviously started in the first heat of the Young Guns.” “But he keeps thriving, the trip to Auckland seems to have made him.” “He is doing really well and I can’t wait to drive him again this week.” “ He is in a really great space at the moment.” Fugitive is set to start an even hotter favourite than The Lazarus Effect. Fugitive has been backed into $1.35 favouritism, with The Lazarus Effect rated at $1.40 in early betting. View the full article

Having won his last five starts in California, including two grade 1s, Formidable Man aims to solidify his place at the top of the West's turf mile division in the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park May 26.View the full article

Mike Ryan's homebred Be Your Best takes her show on the road in search of firmer turf when she starts in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes (G1T) May 26 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Horse racing is staring down the prospects of one of the most highly anticipated rematches in recent history between Sovereignty and Journalism. View the full article

Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables' Gosger (Nyquist), who opened a five-length lead in the May 17 GI Preakness Stakes into the final furlong before being run down in the final strides by Journalism (Curlin), will reportedly not contest the final leg of this year's Triple Crown, the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga June 7. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the homebred colt earned his way into Preakness consideration off his two-length success in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes Apr. 12 and attended a strong early pace at Pimlico before taking over from Clever Again (American Pharoah) in upper stretch. The traffic issues that befell Journalism approaching the eighth pole dictated that Gosger spurted clear with time ticking away, and only a rally for the ages from the GI Kentucky Derby runner-up denied Gosger a 15-1 upset. According to DRF, Gosger could instead be headed to the GI Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 19 or the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga July 26. Either could be used as a stepping-stone to the GI DraftKings Travers Stakes at the Spa on Aug. 23. “I don't think we're going to go to the Belmont. I think we'll give him a little more time,” Walsh told the Form. “We'll see how the next few weeks go. I think he'll improve.” A half-brother to GI QE II Challenge Cup heroine Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah), Gosger is out of the unraced Gloria S (Tapit), a half-sister to the Clarke-bred dual Classic winner I'll Have Another (Flower Alley). This is also the immediate family of recent GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile third Movin' On Up (Accelerate). The post Report: Gosger To Skip Belmont In Favor Of Future Targets appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Longtime owner and breeder Deanna Manfredi has been named the new president of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, the organization announced Wednesday. Most recently secretary of the association, she succeeds Gregory Newell who has held the role since 2019. “I haven't been a very political person, which is why this has been a long time coming,” said Manfredi. “I don't have a political bone in my body. Unfortunately, we find ourselves now where our whole future, our whole program, the sport essentially, has become a political issue. Owner of Ascoli Piceno Farm for the past 20 years, Manfredi has been a member of the PHBA board since 2016. The post PHBA Names Denna Manfredi First Woman President appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The star attraction last Saturday at Pimlico was no doubt GI Preakness S. winner Journalism (Curlin). It's hard to top the winner of a Triple Crown race. But there was another 3-year-old colt on the card who turned in a huge race and will surely be heard from again. Owned by Bobby Flay and James Ventura, Crudo was an impressive winner of the Sir Barton S., a restricted race for 3-year-olds. He won by 7 1/2 lengths. A start in the GI Belmont S. is a possibility for this exciting son of Justify, who was purchased for $350,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November Sale. Crudo is an Italian cooking term that means raw. So that we could learn more about Crudo, we called upon Flay to join us this week for the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. So far as running in the Belmont, Flay said that decision would be made by trainer Todd Pletcher. “I don't make those choices,” Flay said. “One of the things I learned a long time ago is I let the people who really know what they're doing make those decisions. So, that means in Todd Pletcher we trust. I've heard some rumblings about going to the Belmont. Personally, I think it might be a little early for that horse, but, then again, he showed some talent. That's for sure. So, you have to start thinking about things like that, but it's a long summer and there's so many great races during the summer. When we get excited about something that might be, let's call it 'better than the usual,' you can't wait to see it happen again. I think sometimes you make decisions with horses like that too quickly. But if Todd calls me up and says, 'I want to run in the Belmont Stakes,' that's where the horse is going.” Crudo is somewhat an oddity, a colt for an owner who has specialized in fillies. “In this case, I'm not really sure why I bought a colt, but I decided I was going to and that I would pinhook a few horses,” Flay said. “That's what happens when you go to these sales…like all of a sudden you start getting creative. There is a lot of time in between waiting for your horses to come through the ring. So a couple of bourbons later, I thought 'let's pinhook some horses.' Sire power is very important to me. Justify had just started showing that he was going to have talent outside of his racing record as a sire. (Bloodstock advisor) Tom (McGreevy) said, 'I love this horse's walk.' So I paid the $350,000. He was the most expensive justify weanling that season that went through the ring. And then Justify became even more successful over the next handful of months as a sire. He was winning in Europe. He was winning in the U.S. “I was like, wow, we're going to ring the bell here. We took them to the Saratoga sale, which is one of my favorite sales, to pinhook him. And nobody looked at him. I mean, honestly. Nobody. Everybody said, he's too short-legged.” Crudo was bought back when bidding stalled out at $520,000. He didn't look like or run like a short-legged horse in the Sir Barton. “This horse just seems to get better as the furlongs click off,” Flay said. “I think we saw a little bit of that the other day. They were not going slow. It was :23, :46 and they were on his back. And when he turned for home, he just kicked away. And if you watch the gallop out, you'll see that he galloped out 20 lengths ahead of everyone else. It was crazy. He showed that he has some talent. It was really nice to watch.” Flay also weighed in on the spacing of the Triple Crown races, which became an even hotter issue after it was announced the GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) would not be running in the Preakness. Flay is among those who feels that there's needs to be more time between the races. “I love the traditions of this sport,” Flay said. “It's one of the things I love about it. And that's why when you see me at a racetrack, I am dressed up because I feel like the sport and the horses and all the people around it deserve that respect. I like the traditions of horse racing and think it goes beyond how fast the horse can run and did you cash a bet. I just love the whole sort of pageantry of it all, but in this case, I would like to defect from tradition and run the races on the first Saturday in May, the first Saturday in June and the first Saturday in July. My feeling is really that nothing else matters as much as the Triple Crown. It's not even close. It's 50 lengths back to the most important race after that. We need to take care of the Triple Crown if we want people to pay attention to the sport beyond the people that actually already pay attention to the sport. That's always been my goal. I want people to get tied onto the Triple Crown for as long as possible. instead of it being a five-week thing, why not make it something that goes on well into the summer. And if they have to push back some races at Saratoga, so be it.” In our “Fastest Horse of the Week” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we went over the many reasons there are breed to WinStar stallion Two Phil's. There were three “fastest horses of the week,” all of them earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. They were GIII Pimlico Special winner Awesome Aaron (Practical Joke), Booth (Mitole), the winner of the GIII Maryland Sprint S., and Utah Beach (English Channel), the winner of the GIII Louisville S. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the KTOB, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team of Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley talked about who was at fault–Umberto Rispoli or Flavien Prat–when there was so much bumping in the stretch run of the Preakness. Cadman, a former jockey, said she thought Rispoli was to blame. There was also a discussion of Junior Alvarado's appeal for excessive use of the whip in the Kentucky Derby. Moss said that thanks to his connections at NBC, was able to watch a super slow motion replay from a camera that followed Sovereignty all around the track. He said he thought Alvarado actually hit the horse nine times. The team also remembered trainer Larry Demeritte, who passed away earlier this week at age 75. Click here for the audio-only version. The post Bobby Flay Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast, Presented By Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Entries for the first three days of Canterbury Park's 51-day season were robust. A total of 186 horses were entered across 22 races for average entries of 8.45 per race.View the full article

The 4-year-old filly Poetisa topped the first day of the Goffs Spring HIT/PTP Sale at Doncaster when selling to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for £300,000. She was one of seven lots to break the six-figure mark. Sold as lot 308, the daughter of Poet's Word and the Old Vic mare Chars was consigned by Toby Bulgin. She is a half-sister to Flemensfirth's G2 Abram Mares' Novices' Hurdle heroine Queenofhearts. Under the second dam is Grade 1-winning hurdler Macs Joy (Religiously). Purchased for £42,000 by Bulgin out of the Goffs Doncaster Spring Store Sale in 2024, the filly won a Cheltenham bumper last month. “Toby saw her here last year and liked her and bought her,” said the Lambourn-based Nicola Bulgin, whose silks were carried by Poetisa for her win. “She did everything right and had a great temperament, she was lovely to do at home. It was always the plan to race her in a bumper and then hopefully resell her. We were happy to wait with her, as she was a bit of a baby and took a while to come to hand, and it looked like she wanted better ground, so the timing of the race at Cheltenham worked in her favour.” Nicky Henderson was the underbidder on the top lot, alongside Jerry McGrath. Of the 188 horses offered on day one, 156 (83%) sold for a gross of £5,308,500 (-22%). The average was up 11% to £34,029 and the median rose 30% to £26,000. The sale continues tomorrow at 10 a.m. The post Poetisa Tops The First Day Of The Goffs Spring HIT/PTP Sale At £300k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Taken off the Triple Crown trail with an ankle chip, sensational GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. upsetter Magnitude (Not This Time) has begun to gear up for a return to action this summer. The Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer was a 9 3/4-length, front-running winner of the Risen Star at odds of 43-1 Feb. 15, good for a co-division leading 108 Beyer Speed Figure. He was credited with a four-furlong workout for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen in :53.40 (54/54) at Churchill Downs May 15, his first breeze since having an ankle chip removed by Dr. Larry Bramlage four days after his Risen Star victory. “He looks great. He's been coming back great,” the Winchell family's longtime advisor and racing manager David Fiske said. “He's coming right along and pointed for a mid-to-late summer campaign.” Fiske continued, “So far, everything's gone according to schedule and pretty perfect since the surgery. I think it was a calendar issue, he couldn't get back in time for any of the big 3-year-old races the first part of the year. So, he'll try to get cranked up for the ones the second part of the year.” “He's coming right along and pointed for a mid-to-late summer campaign.” Off the Triple Crown trail with an ankle chip, sensational GII Risen Star winner Magnitude (Not This Time) has returned to training. (Video courtesy Winchell advisor David Fiske). pic.twitter.com/lnL9erSmRA — Steve Sherack (@SteveSherackTDN) May 21, 2025 Magnitude got his picture taken twice last year and capped his five-race, 2-year-old campaign with a well-beaten second-place finish behind Built (Hard Spun) in the Gun Runner S. Dec. 21. He finished sixth–beaten 2 3/4 lengths–in the slop in the GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 18 before his breakout performance in the Risen Star. “He continues to generate excitement,” Fiske said. “I was pretty excited after he won the Risen Star. Not only because he was our horse. Just the way he did it, and the figures that came back on it–he was just exciting at that time of the year. Fingers crossed, he's been doing everything great.” One of 23 graded winners for leading young sire Not This Time, Magnitude was produced by the Bernardini mare Rockadelic, a daughter of MGISW and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Octave (Unbridled's Song). The $310,000 KEENOV weanling turned $450,000 KEESEP yearling was bred in Kentucky by Ron Stolich. The post Off Triple Crown Trail With Ankle Chip, Magnitude Aiming for Summer Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After running second in the Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3) the past two years, Louisiana-bred standout Touchuponastar aims to make the third time a charm in the $400,000 race at Lone Star Park May 26.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features the second highest priced juvenile from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale earlier this spring. 3.55 Yarmouth, Novice, £40,000, 2yo, 6f 3yT SILENT APPLAUSE (IRE) (Acclamation {GB}) was the second-highest-priced lot at last month's Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when falling to Godolphin at 1.4million gns. Charlie Appleby introduces him in a race he won 12 months ago, with Wathnan Racing's fellow newcomer Postmodern (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in opposition as a Hamad Al Jehani-trained half-brother to Muhaarar's GII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes winner Be Your Best. 14.47 Haydock, Novice, £11,000, 2yo, 6fT MAXIMIZED (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}) was another big deal at last month's Breeze-Ups, selling to Godolphin for £720,000 as the second-highest-priced juvenile at the Goffs UK auction. A half-brother to the Listed scorer and Group 3-placed Benefit and grandson of the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Hooray, he is passed over by William Buick for Charlie Appleby's other newcomer, the homebred Time To Turn (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who hails from the family of Ivawood. The post Debut For Godolphin’s Craven Breeze-Up Sensation Silent Applause appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ted Durcan has quickly established himself as one of the most respected bloodstock agents on the beat since retiring from race-riding with over 1,500 winners under his belt at the age of 45 in 2018. In a career that spanned 25 years, Durcan achieved Classic success aboard Light Shift in the Oaks in 2007 before partnering Mastery to St Leger glory in 2007. He also enjoyed hugely successful periods abroad and was crowned champion jockey in the UAE on seven occasions. In many ways, bloodstock has proved to be a natural progression for Durcan, who has already enjoyed notable success with high-class graduates like Bracken's Laugh and Cheltenham Festival scorer Wodhooh flying the flag for the 52-year-old. From his best days in the industry to avoiding pitfalls that are part and parcel with life as a bloodstock agent, Durcan proves to be a fascinating interviewee. Brian: I spent a good bit of time looking back through the videos of some of your biggest wins in the saddle recently. I'd wager few meant as much to you as Light Shift winning the Oaks given that it propelled Sir Henry Cecil back into the limelight after a period in the doldrums. Did you even get a chance to appreciate a success of that magnitude at the time? Ted: I did because I saw the lull that he was going through in the years building up to the Oaks. His health wasn't great either and there were a few other issues going on at the time. His numbers had really dwindled – like properly plummeted – and he only had a handful of winners that season. Henry was such a popular person and, when he was struggling, Juddmonte and the Niarchos family stayed behind him 100 per cent. That's what rescued him. So when Light Shift came along, it was obviously massive for me, but it was all about Henry on the day. To be owned by one of the two powerhouses who backed him when he really needed it most, that made it extra special. The magnitude of what had happened was probably lost on me at the time but I definitely see it now. It was an unbelievable afternoon. That chapter of your life has closed and you are now known as Ted Durcan the bloodstock agent rather than Ted Durcan the ex-jockey. Yes, 100 per cent. And it's been going well but everyone knows how hard this game is and you are reliant on a little bit of luck along the way. Another massive part of my job, that few people talk about, is that you need the horse to end up with the right trainer. That's a massive thing. Good trainers can make you look very clever and I am fortunate to work for a lot of talented operators. It's hard work but I love it. Every jockey has their shelf life and I knew mine was up so I was happy to stop at 45 even though it wasn't an easy decision to make. The last thing I wanted to do was to overstay my welcome. I had seen it down through the years, riders staying on a little longer than they ought to have, and I was determined not to let that happen to me. I also understand why they did it because in many ways, being a jockey is all you know, and the uncertainty of what's ahead can be daunting. I was never the most natural rider. I knew I had my limitations. So when it started to slow down, I didn't want to overstay my welcome, which is why I branched out into bloodstock. I think you're being a bit harsh on yourself. No, I'm not. I genuinely mean that. I think I was very lucky. There were a lot of riders who were far more natural than I was but they didn't enjoy the same luck as I did. I think being in the right place at the right moment probably helped me. I mean, I rode for some amazing people during my time as a jockey. That wasn't a masterplan on my behalf. It's just how my career evolved. I learned my craft in a very hard school but an unbelievable school in Jim Bolger's. One thing that remains with me about my time spent with Jim is that he gave everyone a chance. No matter how ordinary you were, he gave you a chance. Now, you'd have to earn it. But he was fair. If you worked, he gave you a shot at it. I will always remember that and I will always be grateful for it. There were lads there in Jim's when I was there – [Paul] Carberry, [Tony] McCoy, Seamie [Heffernan], Willie [Supple], Christy [Roche] – and they were in a different league to me. But Jim gave everyone an opportunity. When you are talking about luck, you could say you are lucky to have found something that you have slipped into so seamlessly since you retired from the saddle. A lot of people struggle to replace that buzz. It's the regime that you miss. Your life is mapped out for you – get up at 5am, ride out, get on the road to the races, etc, etc. When you stop, what do you do? You can only mow the lawn once a week. So you have to replace it with something. I had a very brief flirtation with the idea of going training when I smashed one of my ankles a couple of years before I actually retired. I had a bit of time off to think so I mulled it over and actually sat all of the training modules just to have them. That's one of the reasons I went to Sir Michael Stoute, because I was half thinking of training. I wanted to see how an operation like his worked from the inside out and he was unbelievable to me. He was extremely open and I could basically see as much as I wanted to. But I realised after about a year that training was not for me. Why? Because there are so many elements to training that wouldn't suit me. Media, for example, is something I find very hard. High maintenance are the wrong words to use, but I think owners demand an awful lot more from trainers now, so to be successful as a trainer you need to be fairly hands-on in dealing with owners. The man-management of staff, the amount of rules and regulations a trainer has to comply with now and so many other things made me realise it has become harder and harder for trainers to make a go of it and I don't envy anyone in that profession. I think owners are more involved than they ever were and they have higher expectations as well. An email once a month is not going to suffice. They want to be in the loop, and when they are putting up the money, they have every right to. Half the fun in owning the horses is the journey. The race day is great but the lead-up to that race and the journey is what owners want to be a part of. I know I would have struggled with that side of things. There are a few areas that I knew I would have struggled with so I said, 'hang on, I'm not heading down that avenue,' and I'm glad I didn't. Durcan [left]: riding work for Sir Michael Stoute with Ryan Moore | Emma Berry But then you've gone into bloodstock which, to my understanding, is another job where you need to put yourself out there in order to get clients. That is one area I lack in. It does not come naturally to me to pick up the phone and sell a horse. I'll hold my hands up there. I would admire the people who are able to get out there and get things done. Some might call it neck but I don't even mean it like. I'm probably not forceful enough. I know some agents find it easier than others but I don't go around giving it the hard sell. From speaking to a few people about what you bring to the table as a bloodstock agent, a lot of people describe you as being an excellent judge, bordering on fussy. I'd view that as a positive if I was an owner as I'd feel my money would be going further if I gave you an order. Fussy? Really? I don't know about that but I walk out from a lot of sales empty-handed. I'd much rather that than buy something half-heartedly. That's a horrible feeling. If you walk out of the sale with something you weren't completely sold on, nobody likes that. Buying a horse for the sake of filling an order is not for me. I'd actually hate to do it. So there must be a lot of loss-making trips as a bloodstock agent? It's not as rosy as people think. There are plenty of people who take the piss and think nothing of it but that's part and parcel of the job. You just have to learn from it and know who they are and not do business with them in the future. I think every agent will find that a lot of people come to you with what you perceive to be good intentions but they are actually just tyre-kickers and they are really just trying to get some information out of you. They don't think twice about wasting your time. It's probably a job where you could become a very busy fool quite easily? And that can be infuriating. People have the neck to think it's okay to waste your time. Don't get me wrong, there are some brilliant people in this game, but having your time wasted is part and parcel of this business unfortunately. What horse has provided you with your biggest kick as a bloodstock agent? Take Wodhooh for example, I bought her for 50,000gns out of Sir Michael Stoute's at the July Sale in 2023 and she went to Gordon Elliott. She won at the Cheltenham Festival this year and pushed Lossiemouth close in a Grade 1 at Aintree. I have got some kick out of her more so than any other horse purely because she just kept on exceeding expectations and is owned by the best people in the world. They gave me an order to go and find a horse to win a race or two. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd end up at the major spring festivals but Gordon did a brilliant job and she kept on rising to the challenge. That was a wonderful journey and hopefully she will provide us all with a lot of fun next year as well. I absolutely love this job and I love keeping busy. I'm a fair weather rider as well – I still ride out and I do a bit with William Haggas now. It keeps you fit and it's great to be associated with such a slick operation. So I enjoy that as well. I have always had an invested interest in riding work and working out what a horse wanted. I love it. But the aim is to buy horses that fulfill what the owners want and to grow the bloodstock business. Whether that aim is winning a little handicap somewhere or a horse like Wodhooh winning at the Cheltenham Festival, you want to meet owners' and trainers' expectations. Letsbefrank was another good example of a horse doing a job for connections. He cost 35,000gns but went and won a hundred-grand Sunday Series bonus for Jim Goldie and his owners. That was another brilliant result for people who are involved in racing for all of the right reasons and I got a huge kick out of that horse as well. Yes, of course you want to up the ante and buy a better calibre of horse all of the time, but it's very hard to get up and rolling. The aim is to continue the business model, keep delivering and then hopefully be in a position to buy nicer horses year after year. And what is it that you look for in a horse? It's all of the obvious things but one thing that I have learned is that attitude is a massive thing. If a horse finds the whole sales process hard, what is going to happen that horse on the day of a race or even in the build-up to a race when the work starts to get hard and the screws are being tightened? If they are not able for the sales process, they won't come through and deliver on the track. Attitude is a massive part of it for me. A horse with a good attitude will get over niggles and little flaws that they might have but, if they haven't got the right attitude, they will roll over easily enough. A horse with the right attitude is a huge help. You've worked with some legendary trainers. What sets them apart? Is there a common theme? Attention to detail, for sure. And the ability to place horses is another key to their respective successes. William, for example, would rarely place his horses in the wrong spot. He knows what he has. And what about Sir Michael Stoute? He was a marvellous man to be around. Such a horseman. Brilliant with the horses and brilliant with staff. Patience. Nobody would rush Sir Michael into anything if he didn't want to do it himself. Crystal Ocean, Poet's Word and even winning the Derby with Desert Crown just a couple of years before he retired. They were brilliant training feats and he is just an amazing man. In the modern world that we live in, where people want instant results – or even instant action – it makes it hard for another Sir Michael Stoute to come through the ranks. Take Ulysses for example, to get him to achieve what he did as a four-year-old – that was an amazing achievement and I don't think many other trainers would have been able to do the same. He was a very handsome horse but he would be coming off the Heath in Newmarket hollering and roaring. There was never any malice to him but Sir Michael took his time with him and then he started winning Coral-Eclipses and Juddmonte Internationals as a four-year-old. Different class. Poet's Word was another. He won a handicap off 88 before he went on to win Group 1s as a five-year-old. Expert Eye was another. I rode Expert Eye in his second-last piece of work before he won the Breeders' Cup Turf Mile. He went through the motions and nobody bar Michael would have thought he could go and win at the Breeders' Cup. The rest is history. Sir Michael has an unbelievable ability of getting the best out of horses. For all of the success you have enjoyed in buying winners on the track, I'd venture that sourcing La Rosetta for just 40,000gns on behalf of Frances Crowley would rank pretty highly given the Blue Point colt out of the mare sold for €250,000 at Goffs in 2023. That was special because my wife [Sue] and I have been long-time friends with Pat [Smullen] and Frances. We used to do the Middle Eastern tour back in the day and we had a lot of fun together. That was a special moment given our association together and we've had a few other mares together. La Rosetta has been a lovely mare. Frances has a Lope De Vega out of the mare this year and I gather she's visited Starman recently so that will be exciting. The post Ted Durcan: ‘I Love Being A Bloodstock Agent, But It’s Not As Rosy As People Think’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

France Galop's administrative council has agreed to a plan to cut prize money by €20 million (approximately US$22.68 million) per year in an effort to bring the sport back to a balanced budget by 2029. Group 1s on the flat will be exempt.View the full article

Zarigana remains the winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, G1) after the appeal lodged by connections of Shes Perfect was unsuccessful.View the full article

Both making their 4-year-old debuts, Brightwork and Two Sharp will have a rematch of last year's Prioress Stakes (G3) in the $250,000 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs May 26.View the full article