Wandering Eyes

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and Starlight Racing's Improbable returned an easy winner Aug. 25, drawing clear to take Del Mar's $98,000 Shared Belief Stakes under Drayden Van Dyke. View the full article

James McDonald will ride Epsom Handicap favourite Te Akau Shark when he makes his Australian debut in the Tramway Stakes. Now Sydney's premier jockey, McDonald was formerly the stable rider for the powerful Te Akau operation in New Zealand. Te Akau Shark is the TAB's $6 favourite for the Epsom (1600m) at Randwick on October 5 and will have his lead-up in the Group Two Tramway (1400m) on September 7. McDonald will also be aboard Te Akau's Probabeel who who will take on Libertini in the Furious St... View the full article

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and Starlight Racing's Improbable returned an easy winner Aug. 25, drawing clear to take Del Mar's $98,000 Shared Belief Stakes in a hand ride under Drayden Van Dyke. View the full article

Riversedge Racing Stables' Bare Back Jack became the first black-type stakes winner for Bakken when he claimed the Aug. 25 Birdcatcher Stakes by a head at Century Mile. View the full article

Tom London, Terry Lovingier, and Eugene Zondlo's Side Street Dave broke through the maiden ranks Aug. 25 at Del Mar, taking a $33,755 maiden claiming race and marking the first winner for freshman sire Govenor Charlie. View the full article

Kevin Hickman is already increasing his South Island-based firepower leading into this year’s New Zealand Cup carnival. A group of horses owned by the Valachi Downs principal were transported from Waikato on Monday morning bound for Riccarton, where they will continue their preparations for their respective trainers Stephen Autridge and Stephen Marsh. “Kevin likes to get to see them race and we’ve got five on this trip and there could be more later, including a two-year-old or two,” Autr... View the full article

After Code of Honor added some clarity to the leadership question in the 3-year-old male division by winning the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), it was clear that it will likely come down to the Breeders' Cup to make the final decision. View the full article

With a last-to-first move, Front Run the Fed ran down classic contender Bourbon War under a hand ride to score a half-length victory in the $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes Aug. 25 at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

The day after the GI Runhappy Travers S. and its stellar undercard at the Spa, all horses and their connections appeared to be in fine fettle. Plans were being tentatively made for the horses’ fall campaigns. Of course, the star of the show was Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), who gave Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his fourth Travers in 30 years. McGaughey had won three from 1989 to 1998, but hadn’t notched the Midsummer Derby since. “When I finally got a chance to look at my phone, I had 143 texts,” said McGaughey. “It was pretty exciting. When you get a little bit older, you know you’re not going to have as many opportunities as you did 21 years ago–30 years ago was my first one–so I was really, really pleased. And I want to do it again.” Code of Honor emerged from the race well, according to McGaughey, who said he wanted to keep a close eye on the chestnut for a few more days before firming up any plans. “Nothing is solid with what I’m going to do with him,” said McGaughey. “The [GI] Jockey Club Gold Cup back at Belmont [Sept. 28] would sort of be the best scenario. If I wanted to wait a bit longer you’ve got the [GIII] Discovery at Aqueduct in November, or the [GI] Cigar Mile. And obviously we know where the Breeders’ Cup is, so we’ll have to keep that in mind also.” McGaughey also sent out Performer (Speightstown) on the Travers undercard, a sophomore who had breezed in tandem with Code of Honor Aug. 11. Performer was a visually impressive one-length victor in a tough allowance, his second consecutive victory in three career starts. “I like the way he did it,” said McGaughey. “I thought yesterday was even more impressive, because he ran down a horse [Payne] that was still running. He had never been back like that; when he broke his maiden he was right there. I’m looking forward to getting him stretched out. Where that will be, I don’t know. I asked [assistants] Robbie [Medina] and Reeve [McGaughey] ‘What are we going to do with him now?’ But I’ll figure something out.” Travers favorite Tacitus (Tapit), whose runner-up finish came while wearing blinkers for the first time following a stumble at the start of the July 27 GII Jim Dandy S., had nothing amiss Sunday morning. “He came back good,” said Hall of Famer Bill Mott. “He’s sound and jogging good. “I liked what I saw with the blinkers,” said Mott. “It didn’t get us outrun. It put us in the race. We were in a good spot. He broke well. I don’t see any reason to change that.” Mott also said Tacitus would likely be in blinkers again for his next start, where he could again face Code of Honor in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. It would mark the first time the two sophomores take on older horses and would also be the third time they faced each other, with Code of Honor finishing one spot in front of Tacitus in both the Travers and the GI Kentucky Derby. Mott had a far-tougher beat on the Travers undercard when multiple Grade I winner Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) battled fiercely down the lane with Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the GI Personal Ensign S. only to lose by a nose a year after losing the same race in a similar battle by a neck. “She’s good. We’ll have to decide if we go back to the [GII] Beldame [at Belmont Sept. 28, a race Elate won two years ago] or if we wait for the Breeders’ Cup,” said Mott. “If we wait for the Breeders’ Cup, we’re going to give strong consideration to the [GI] Classic. It seems like [the further the better]. It brought her and Midnight Bisou closer together yesterday…real close together.” If Elate does face the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it is worth noting she is undefeated at three career starts at 1 1/4 miles. Mott’s second runner in the Personal Ensign was GIII Shuvee S. winner Golden Award (Medaglia d’Oro), who was pulled up on the backstretch and eased. Mott said nothing appeared to be wrong with the 4-year-old. “It was a bit of a headscratcher. We don’t see enough to see any reason for what happened,” said Mott. The aforementioned Midnight Bisou, who is undefeated in six starts this year, all graded stakes, is none the worse for the wear following the dogged battle with Elate, their third match-up this season. “She’s in great shape. She was out grazing this morning, she’s bright-eyed, she’s been playing with us all morning,” said Jeff Bloom of Bloom Racing Stable, which co-owns Midnight Bisou along with Madaket Stables and Allen Racing. “It’s as if she was out for a gallop. She lays her body down but she came out in great shape.” Midnight Bisou is pointing toward the Beldame, the same race that Elate may target. Unlike Elate, however, thoughts of the Breeders’ Cup Classic aren’t on the horizon for Midnight Bisou, whose end-of-season goal is the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at nine furlongs, the same distance as the Personal Ensign. Midnight Bisou is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who also won the GI Forego S. on the Travers undercard with the speedy Mitole (Eskendereya). Mitole was winning his third Grade I in the Forego. His next start is undetermined. “He came out of it well. He’ll train here at Saratoga before deciding what to do next,” said Asmussen. Winner of the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Saturday, Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) was winning his second GI at Saratoga after a score in the Hopeful S. last term. “My guys told me that he ate up everything and was just great. He had a good, clean scope and everything is good with him,” said conditioner Greg Sacco, who drove back to Monmouth Park in New Jersey after the race. “The drive home was pretty good. When you win at Saratoga the miles just fly by. It was a pretty good day, obviously.” While Sacco wasn’t willing to commit to a next start for Mind Control, he did say the GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26 at the same distance as the Allen Jerkens was on the radar. “We never look ahead. We’re going to savor this,” said Sacco. “There are some things we’ll discuss and nothing is set in concrete. He has been training for a long time, he’s never been taken out of training, so we might go easy with him. I will tell you that one of the main goals at the end of the year is the Malibu. That’s a long-range goal.” Come Dancing (Malibu Moon) notched the GI Ketel One Ballerina S. for trainer Carlos Martin, whose last Grade I victory was in 1991. “She came back great and looks super,” said Martin. “She’s been ready to go again. She was looking out all morning as if to say, ‘Where is the crowd today?’ She’s doing great.” Come Dancing had not raced since a runner-up finish to Midnight Bisou in the GI Ogden Phipps S. June 8. Martin said the 2 1/2 months between starts works well for Come Dancing, whose next target is the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November. “Every time we give her a couple of months between races, she’s ready,” Martin said. “That’s why we are talking to the owners yesterday evening. I said we have one goal: to make her a Breeders’ Cup winner and an Eclipse champion. She runs great fresh. “She could come back in three weeks and run in a race like the [GII] Gallant Bloom [Sept. 22 at Belmont] and probably win again, but then you’d get to that third race. She gets a little light on me. She puts a lot into her gallops. So, she can be a little strong to deal with at times, so the freshening won’t hurt her.” No wrap-up of Saratoga would be complete without a mention of Chad Brown, who won five undercard races on Travers day, including the GI Sword Dancer S. with Annals of Time (Temple City) and the GII Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S. with Significant Form (Creative Cause). Annals of Time was making his first graded stakes start since his win in the GI Hollywood Derby nearly three years prior, overcoming a soft tissue injury and a two-year layoff. The Sword Dancer was his third win since his return. “I was really impressed with his race,” said Brown. “He tried something new in a three-turn race but he came through.” Brown also trains Bricks and Mortar (Giant’s Causeway), the clear leader in the older turf division. “Bricks and Mortar is clearly at the top, but [Annals of Time has] proven now that he’s one of the top turf colts in his division and can stay a mile and a half which is important,” said Brown. Impressive undercard maiden special weight winner Tap It To Win (Tapit), who earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his first win, has an ambitious future in his sights. “He’s a pretty good horse,” said trainer Mark Casse. “I think we have two options: the [GI] Champagne [Oct. 5 at Belmont] or get the two-turn experience in the [GI] Breeders Futurity [also Oct. 5 at Keeneland] and that’s something I’ll have to discuss with [owner] Mrs. [Charlotte] Weber. His last work out of the gate was great. It surprised me how fast he ran, but it didn’t surprise me that he won.” The post Travers Card: The Day After appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With regular rider Tyler Gaffalione aboard, War of Will blazed through a half-mile breeze in :47.04 on Saratoga Race Course's main track the morning of Aug. 25. View the full article

After Code of Honor added some, but not complete, clarity to the leadership question in the 3-year-old male division by winning the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), it was clear that it will likely come down to the Breeders' Cup to decide it. View the full article

With regular rider Tyler Gaffalione aboard, War of Will blazed through a half-mile breeze in :47.04 on Saratoga Race Course's main track the morning of Aug. 25. View the full article

Michael Ciacciarelli, the chief operating officer of Trakus, passed away Saturday after a long illness. He was 50 years old. Ciacciarelli led Trakus operations, including development, engineering, site integration and field operations, working closely with Trakus media partners, venue operators, and other parties to customize and seamlessly integrate Trakus into their offerings. Prior to Trakus, he worked for the Raytheon Company, leading the development of an innovative integrated simulation environment intended to provide total situational awareness for the next generation warfighter. He held degrees from Rensselaer and Worcester Polytechnic Institutes, and completed coursework in the MBA program at Babson College. “Michael was a longtime close friend of more than 30 years and a key member of our senior management team at Trakus,” said Bob McCarthy, the company’s president and CEO.　”His many contributions have been a significant factor in the company’s achievements in racing worldwide.　Known to friends and colleagues as Chich, he always had great enthusiasm for collaborating with racing industry partners, and we are all deeply saddened by his loss.” Funeral arrangements are pending. The post Michael Ciacciarelli Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After 713 days without finding the line, classy galloper Countofmontecristo (NZ) (Echoes Of Heaven) finally returned to the winner’s circle on Sunday – and in a feature race for good measure, the $400,000 Merlion Trophy (1200m).No doubt, the 2017 Singapore champion three-year-old had to muscle his way in to score by a slender margin. But given that success had eluded him since the Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) on September 10, 2017, the narrowness of the win mattered little, connections were just... View the full article

Ablaze (left) clears the last fence with race favourite Northern Voyage as he heads to victory at Ballarat. A boozy night in a pub in the South Island of New Zealand has resulted in Ablaze making his way to the stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and two hurdle victories. Making a winning jumps debut at Coleraine a week ago, Ablaze backed that up with success in the J J Houlahan Hurdle at Ballarat on Sunday. Part-owner Rod Lyons, who has a share in Group One-winning sprinter Nature Strip, said a trip to May’s Warrnambool carnival sparked an interest in securing a jumper. “A couple of the owners of Nature Strip are from New Zealand and they were at Warrnambool for the carnival this year,” Lyons said. “They said ‘we’ve got to buy a jumper’. “They were in a pub down in the South Island when a fella came in and said ‘I’ve got a jumper for you’.” Lyons said the asking price was $25,000 while his New Zealand connections did not know what the horse looked like or whether it could jump. “Under the influence they said ‘no that’s too cheap, so we’ll toss you, 20 or 40 (thousand)’ and we lost the toss,” Lyons said. “Then they rang me to say we’ve bought a hurdler.” Unbeaten in two runs over jumps, Ablaze will now be set for an assault on the Grand Annual Steeplechase at next year’s Warrnambool three-day carnival. Maher said the work for the gruelling 5500m-race would begin in October. “He’s very clean-winded,” Maher said. “The ground was pretty testing there today and he wouldn’t have blown a candle out. “He’ll have a couple of months off now and start getting ready for the Annual. “It’s all about the conditioning. You don’t need any time off, that’s when things can go wrong.” The stable brought up a race-to-race double with Ascot Red in the Cheap As Chips Steeplechase after Maher gave jockey Clayton Douglas some sage advice. “Sometimes later becomes never, do it now,” he told the jockey. Maher explained he wanted Douglas to be aggressive aboard the jumper right from the outset which led to Ascot Red recording a three length win in the 3200m race. View the full article

Kosta and Pete Hronis’s Hronis Racing set an owners’ earnings record for Del Mar’s summer meeting with the addition of Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags)’s $120,000 winner’s share of Saturday’s GII Pat O’Brien S. purse, bettering the mark it set in 2018. The operation, which also won the GI TVG Pacific Classic with Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), entered Sunday’s 30th day of racing with $1,325,353 in earnings, topping the mark of $1,281,854 it set last year. The post Hronis Racing Sets Del Mar Earnings Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tallyho Twinkletoe and Aaron Kuru establish a winning break as they head for home in the Australian Grand National Steeplechase. New Zealand jumper Tallyho Twinkletoe has equalled the feats of a champion jumper of yesteryear with his dominant victory in the Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat. Tallyho Twinkletoe became the first horse since Mosstrooper in 1930 to complete the Grand National Hurdle/Steeplechase double in the same year. Patrick Payne calls himself the “puppet trainer”, having taken over from Kevin Myers just days before the gelding’s Grand National hurdle victory at Sandown on August 4. Sent off favourite in Sunday’s 4500m-race, Tallyho Twinkletoe, under New Zealand rider Aaron Kuru, recorded a nine-length victory from Spy On You with sentimental favourite Wells, aiming for a fourth win in the race, another 2-1/4 lengths away third. Tallyho Twinkletoe’s victory followed the success of Sea King for Payne in last year’s Grand National Steeplechase. “I used to love Sea King, but this horse is the best horse,” Payne said. “He can take the race by the scruff of the neck. “It’s silly to say but from the mile he had them covered and took over 1000 (metres) out and not many horses can maintain a gallop like that. “For a steeplechaser to win the Grand National Hurdle last time and come out and do it again today, that shows his class.” Tallyho Twinkletoe won the New Zealand Grand National Hurdle in August, 2015 before a series of niggling tendon injuries kept him off the track until March, 2018. He had a light campaign followed by another extended stay on the sidelines before he was prepared for his Australian campaign. Payne was happy to deflect the glory to Myers and part-owner Jo Rathbone. “All the work was done before he came to my place,” Payne said. “The smartest thing I could do was not change anything, keep him the same weight and just produce him the same and thank God they put a great foundation under him.” Payne said to get the better of a champion like Wells was so pleasing. “What he (Wells) did in the Crisp Steeple, surely jumps fans appreciated his effort,” Payne said. “He was out on his feet at the 200-metre mark and he fought back and beat my horse (Slowpoke Rodriguez) and I was pretty happy to see him win. “So for this horse to get the better of him, it says a fair bit.” Craig Durden, husband of Wells’ trainer Kathryn, said they could not be prouder of the jumper’s performance in his attempt at a record-breaking victory. “He’s been beaten by a good horse,” Durden said. “He was admirable, what more can you say.” View the full article

Exciting filly Intimidate will step out at the Rangiora trials on Tuesday. Rangiora based trainer Nick Wigley could have a two-pronged attack on some of the three-year-old filly features in the South Island this spring if all goes to plan at Tuesday’s Rangiora trials. Wigley and new training partner Kayla Milnes will line-up Charm Spirit filly Intimidate, who impressed when winning over 1000m at Riccarton in July to round-out her two-year-old campaign, along with a Sacred Falls half-sister to Gr.1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) winner Ugo Foscolo, who they also hold in high regard. “Intimidate has been back in work for a while now and galloped well during the week,” Wigley said. “She has come back bigger and stronger and we are hoping that her manners have improved as well. “She liked to rip and tear into things in her last campaign which can cause a few issues but if she can learn to settle, we think she has the ability to compete against the better fillies. “She will have a run at the trials on Tuesday and then we plan to start her first up over 1000m in an open three-year-old event at Riccarton on September 7. “Provided she comes through that well her mission will be the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) back at Riccarton a fortnight later.” Wigley also has plenty of time for the Sacred Falls filly who has been measuring up well when working alongside Intimidate of late. “The Sacred Falls filly also looks very promising and we think she could be another who will step up to the mark pretty quickly,” Wigley said. “She galloped with Intimidate last week and more than held her own which was pleasing. “Being so well related you would hope she has inherited the family ability and if she can put that on the racetrack then she could be another contender for higher honours. “Kayla is doing most of the work these days and I’m just the consultant so if we could get a decent win on board that would be a great start for her training career.” View the full article

(My) Xpression in winning action at Riccarton. A barnstorming finish for third in the Gr.3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday has forced the connections of talented New Zealand mare Xpression into a rethink about her future plans. The former Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) placegetter, who races as My Xpression in Australia, joined the Sydney stable of Chris Waller at the start of the year after winning three of her seven starts in New Zealand for trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen. She failed to fire in her first two starts for Waller and was sent to the spelling paddock before commencing her latest campaign with a lacklustre effort for fifth at Rosehill earlier this month. Haunui Farm Managing Director Mark Chitty, who co-bred the mare in partnership with Whanakino Ltd.’s Ian Renton and shares in the ownership with Renton and several other close friends, admitted the team had been considering retiring their charge to the broodmare paddock before Saturday’s improved effort. “That run caught us by surprise a bit as we weren’t really sure what to expect from her,” Chitty said. “It is fair to say she hadn’t fired in any of her first three runs over there, although she had drawn an outside barrier for every one of those races. “We had been thinking that we would most likely send her straight to stud if she didn’t come up but that run was very encouraging and has us thinking again.” Settled back by apprentice Brock Ryan, My Xpression charged home in the final 200m to claim third and secure some valuable Australian black-type next to her name. “It was a good ride from the young fellow and we reaped the rewards,” Chitty said. “To get some Australian black-type is great for her future career as a broodmare so it is job done in that respect. “The syndicate will sit down and think about what comes next but at this stage I think we will probably breed her and then she can race on for a time after that. “She has been booked to go to Snitzel, so once she is safely in foal we can plan with Chris where she goes after that.” Chitty is also eagerly anticipating the raceday return of promising stayer Rondinella who had a solid hit-out at the Taupo trials last Wednesday in her first serious gallop of a new campaign that has a tilt at some Australian spring features as the main goal. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained five-year-old, who races in the ownership of Haunui Farm and Cathy Franich (Frantic Bloodstock) who bred her along with Garry Cranny, is being set for a possible tilt at the Gr.1 WS Cox Plate (2040m) following a successful end to her last campaign which saw her place third behind Avilius in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) and then fourth in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m). “She (Rondinella) went really well in her trial although she blew out quite badly at the end which we expected would be the case,” Chitty said. “She will take enormous benefit from that run as it will bring her fitness on. “I think Roger and Robert weren’t too sure just where she was at fitness-wise as it is a tough ask to be getting horses ready on our wet winter tracks, so that should have given them a good line on her. “She showed she was competitive against the best when she was in Australia last time so we are pretty excited about her prospects again this time if she can perform to that level again.” View the full article

Kali cruises to victory at Hastings on debut. Cambridge trainer Tony Pike will head into the first day of the Bostock New Zealand Spring Racing Carnival at Hastings this Saturday with some added firepower thanks to the circumstances created by the abandonment of racing at Taupo last Wednesday. With the Taupo meeting called off after four races, Pike’s promising filly Kali missed out on making her spring debut in the 1100m three-year-old fillies race scheduled on the day. That race has now been added to the Hastings programme with Pike confident of a good performance from his charge who impressed many good judges when winning stylishly first-up at the venue back in April. “We’re philosophical about missing the run at Taupo the other day, given the race has been rescheduled to Hastings,” Pike said. “She (Kali) had trialled up well beforehand and was ready for the run so the delay won’t have any effect on her. “It might actually be a blessing in disguise as she had drawn badly at Taupo so hopefully she might cop a draw a little closer in this time, while the weather forecast looks pretty good so the track should be nigh on perfect. “She is going to Te Rapa on Monday for a gallop and then we will just keep her ticking over until raceday.” Loire, another of Pike’s talented three-year-old filly’s, will also be going to Hastings although she will avoid a clash with Kali as her target for the day is the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m). “Loire will gallop with Kali at Te Rapa and we are pleased with where she is at leading into her first run,” Pike said. “The 1200m is likely to be a little too short for her but once she steps up to 1400m and further I think you will see her at her best.” Pike also reported last start Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) winner Endless Drama was in good shape as he gets ready to tackle the feature race on day one at Hastings, the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m). “Endless Drama has thrived since his last run and I’m pleased with him heading into Hastings,” he said. “We are going to take his campaign on a run by run basis with the plan being to tackle the Tarzino and then go to the second day for the Windsor Park Plate (Gr.1, 1600m). “He will have a brief let up and then we will head to Perth for the Winterbottom Stakes (Gr.1, 1200m) first-up in late November. “The Winterbottom appeals as a perfect race for him and we saw just how well he goes fresh in the Foxbridge, so I think he will be well placed for that challenge.” View the full article

Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to leading sprinter and miler Mitole, who earned his third grade 1 win of 2019 in the form of a stakes-record performance in the Aug. 24 Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1). View the full article

Charlie Hills believes Battaash will relish racing around a turn at the Breeders' Cup if owner Hamdan Al Maktoum lets the York record-breaker head to California later in the year. View the full article

B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt’s multiple Grade I-winning sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya–Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie). While Mitole’s fee will be subject to change pending future race results, the farm is offering breeders the opportunity to lock in at a fee of $20,000 S&N for 2020. “The term ‘brilliance’ gets used a lot in this business, but there aren’t many horses in recent history that have shown as much consistent brilliance as Mitole,” said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. “His Met Mile sticks in my head. That was both the field of the year and race of the year so far, and Mitole showed just how brilliantly fast and classy he is in that performance. On top of having rare ability, he’s an extremely good-looking animal.” Toffey continued, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to stand him, and I want to thank Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, who we wish the best leading up to the Breeders’ Cup. We will offer Mitole on a limited basis at $20,000 stands and nurses for breeders who wish to lock in early to be a part of his first book in 2020.” Campaigned by the Heiligbrodts and trained by Steve Asmussen, Mitole won this year’s GI Churchill Downs S. and GI Runhappy Metroplitan H. He set a new stakes record while winning Saturday’s GI Forego S. On the board in all 13 of his starts to date, the 4-year-old has won nine times and earned $2,004,910. “After 30-plus years in the business and over a thousand races won, I can say Mitole is clearly our fastest horse ever,” said Bill Heiligbrodt. “That was exhibited again on Saturday with his stakes-record performance in 1:20.80 in the Forego at Saratoga, where some of the fastest horses in the history of the sport have competed.” Asmussen added, “Mitole has ability and an attitude that superlatives do not do justice. The post Spendthrift Acquires Breeding Rights to Mitole appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Japanese jockey Yuga Kawada captured the final leg of the 2019 World All-Star Jockeys at Sapporo Racecourse Sunday afternoon, propelling him to his first championship title with 70 points. Also representing the Japanese team, Christophe Lemaire finished second with 58 points. Kawada, who was competing in the series for the fourth time this year, previously finished a career best seventh in 2011. At the conclusion of Day 1 (Aug. 24), he stood in fourth place with 30 points following a pair of thirds with Ofukuhime (Jpn) and Gold Flag (Jpn) in the first two legs of the series. Fifth with Vocazione (Jpn) in Sunday’s third leg, Kawada clinched the series with a score aboard Precious Blue (Jpn). Kawada also took the G3 Keeneland Cup with Danon Smash (Jpn) Sunday afternoon. “I always feel relieved to have done my job when I win, but today, I’m delighted to receive this award,” he said. “It’s always a great opportunity for me to compete against top Japanese jockeys and great jockeys that gathered from around the world.” Included among the riders from aboard, Mickaelle Michel, representing France, tied for third with Hong Kong raider Karis Teetan with 53 points. Julien Leparoux, waving the flag for the U.S., finished eighth with 24 points, while Irish jockey Colm O’Donoghue was 10th with 16 points. Team JRA led the team competition with 246 points to claim its fifth consecutive title, while Team WAS (World All Star) collected 202 points. The post Kawada Claims World All-Star Jockeys Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Kevin Krigger stole the show Aug. 24 evening at Emerald Downs, riding four winners and notching his 1,000th career victory. View the full article