Wandering Eyes

TAX (g, 3, Arch–Toll, by Giant’s Causeway), claimed for $50,000 two back, continued to pay dividends for his new connections, gutting out a three-way battle in the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct. Runner-up on debut Sept. 29 at Churchill, the dark bay graduated stretching out to two turns Oct. 21 at Keeneland and was plucked from Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider out of that effort. Running a strong third at 17-1 next out in the GII Remsen S. here Dec. 1, the gelding was made a narrow 21-10 chalk in this spot and stumbled at the start before recovering to sit in the pocket behind sharp fractions of :23.56 and :47.39. Staying glued to the rail entering the stretch, he was in tight briefly, but ran to daylight at the furlong grounds and took over. Game pacesetter Not That Brady (Big Brown) wasn’t done yet, however, and Our Braintrust (Freud) put in his two cents three wide, but Tax had just enough to turn them back in that order in 1:50.52. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, $198,800. O-R A Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch & Corms Racing Stable; B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider (KY); T-Danny Gargan. View the full article

FEEDBACK (f, 3, Violence–Honest Answer, by Tale of the Cat), named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ after an impressive debut last summer at Saratoga, returned as the heavy favorite in Saturday’s GIII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream and was pushed to her limits, but came through with a narrow success. Romping by eight lengths Aug. 12 at the Spa, the $85,000 KEENOV buy had been unseen since, but worked well for this return and was pounded to 1-2. Away well, the dark bay tracked from second past a sharp :22.20 quarter. Inhaling the pacesetter midway around the turn, Feedback was confronted in earnest by Bye Bye J (Uncaptured) nearing the lane, and dug deep through an entertaining stretch duel to turn that stubborn foe back by a half-length in 1:23.51. The victress is the third graded stakes winner for Violence, who was also represented earlier in the card by newly-minted ‘Rising Star’ Violencia. Sales History: $85,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $136,750. O-Klaravich Stables Inc.; B-Wolverton Mountain Farm LLC & Cameron Wheeler (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. View the full article

VIOLENCIA (f, 3, Violence–World Event, by Quiet American) turned back an odds-on Chad Brown firster and finished full of run to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors at Gulfstream Saturday. Picked up for an even $100,000 at Keeneland September, the bay showed a steady series of breezes for trainer Rodolphe Brisset at Payson Park, highlighted by a half-mile gate move in :48 2/5 (2/22) Jan. 7. Part of a three-way scrum for second favoritism behind e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ 4-5 Palomita (Into Mischief), Violencia broke as a 27-5 chance and beat the sharp-starting heavy favorite to the punch to dictate terms through a :22.30 quarter. That one crept closing passing a :45.11 half, but Violencia made short work of her rival once turning for home, drawing clear under Jose Ortiz to a good-looking seven-length success in 1:09.70. Palomita held for second. The victress is a half to He’s So Fine (Purge), GSP, $451,468; and Auntjenn (Uncle Mo), GSP, $178,673. Her dam foaled a filly by Shanghai Bobby last term before visiting Tiznow. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000. Sales History: $120,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV. $100,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. O-Rick Howard, Kent Donworth & Rags Racing Stable; B-Kathie Maybee & Matt Bowling (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset. View the full article

Jockey Colby Hernandez rode the 2,000th winner of his career Feb. 1 aboard Tigertail Ranch's Crocodile Jacques in the third race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for trainer Victor Arceneaux. View the full article

Wissahickon followed up victories in an Aug. 14 handicap at Chelmsford City and in Newmarket’s Sept. 29 Cambridgeshire H. with a first black-type score in the Dec. 22 Listed Quebec S. over this course and distance, and continued in similar vein with another polished success here. Penalised three pounds for that latest triumph and positioned in a stalking third for the most part, the odds-on chalk was boxed in full of run turning for home and quickened smartly once angled outside passing the eighth pole to double his stakes tally in nonchalant fashion. Wissahickon is one of nine winners from as many runners out of GI Del Mar Oaks heroine No Matter What (Nureyev) and is kin to a quartet of stakes performers headed by MG1SW European champion Rainbow View (Dynaformer) and MGISP GIII Arlington H.-winning sire Just As Well (A.P. Indy). No Matter What has also produced the 2-year-old colt Repaupo (Quality Road), who ran second in all three starts last term, and a yearling colt by Temple City. Saturday’s Results: BETWAY WINTER DERBY TRIAL S.-Listed, £45,000, Lingfield, 2-2, 4yo/up, 10f (AWT), 2:01.53, st. 1–WISSAHICKON, 129, c, 3, Tapit–No Matter What (GISW-US & SW-Fr, $185,726), by Nureyev. O-George Strawbridge; B-Augustin Stable (KY); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £25,520. Lifetime Record: 9-7-1-0, $265,374. *1/2 to Rainbow View (Dynaformer), Ch. 2yo Filly-Eur, Hwt. 3yo Filly-Ire at 6.5-9.5f, G1SW-Eng & Ire, GSW-US & GISP-Can, $1,129,814; Just As Well (A.P. Indy), GSW & MGISP-US, $859,582; Utley (Smart Strike), GSW-US & SP-Eng, $466,598; and Winter View (Thunder Gulch), GSW-US, $328,909. 2–Big Country (Ire), 126, g, 6, High Chaparral (Ire)–Mount Eliza (Ire), by Danehill. (28,000gns 3yo ’16 TATAHI; 130,000gns RNA 4yo ’17 TATAHI). O-The Horse Watchers. £9,675. 3–Court House (Ire), 126, c, 4, Dawn Approach (Ire)–Crossanza (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (€38,000 RNA Wlg ’15 GOFNOV; €200,000 Ylg ’16 GOFORB). O-HRH Princess Haya of Jordan. £4,842. Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 2. Odds: 0.50, 5.00, 5.00. Also Ran: Chiefofchiefs (GB), Abe Lincoln, In the Lope (Ire), Main Street (GB), Time To Study (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

13:50 Leopardstown Gordon Elliott won this race with Samcro last year and saddles the early favourite Vision D’Honneur who was a ready winner at Punchestown last month, travelling noticeably smoother than rivals and easing to the lead before the final hurdle, before staying on well under a hands and heels ride. That was a marked improvement […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Sunday 3rd February appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

In the last of a three-part series, Tom Frary looks back at the standout French- and German-trained juveniles of last season and considers who will be most prominent during their key Classic season. With just three 2-year-olds rated above 110 in the recently-released European Classifications, France should be worried, right? Maybe, maybe not. Certainly in August, when the country’s juveniles failed to get a look-in when it mattered during Deauville’s month-long festival, there seemed cause for pondering a potential crisis. Is a record of seven wins from the country’s 20 pattern races for juveniles good enough? There were two Group 1 races which stayed at home and they were garnered by fillies who caused upsets in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Nobody really saw Lily’s Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}) and Wonderment (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) coming on either occasion, so there is hope that France has some lurkers for 2019. It is a nation that often creeps up on you as the season wears on and there are plenty of works-in-progress to focus on. It was with a tinge of shock and disappointment that we watched ‘TDN Rising Star’ Spirit of Brittany (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) so readily brushed aside in Deauville’s G3 Prix Six Perfections as the August festival offered early portents of what was to follow. Having looked such a bright prospect when scoring at Saint-Cloud and Clairefontaine, Al Shaqab’s homebred was only third behind Godolphin’s stalwart Beyond Reason (Ire) (Australia {GB}) there. Not seen again, the relative of Keltos (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}) and Krataios (Fr) (Sabrehill) could yet prove to be cut from the same cloth and remains one of Jean-Claude Rouget’s Classic contenders. It was during Deauville that Rouget unveiled another Gerard Augustin-Normand delight in the filly Commes (Fr) by the nation’s increasingly-important sire Le Havre (Ire), and she earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status with an authoritative success in a mile maiden. Undone next time by Lady Bamford’s Suphala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), a granddaughter of Sophisticat (Storm Cat) from the Andre Fabre stable, at Chantilly in September, some of the initial gloss was rubbed off but it could be Fabre has something special in that €650,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate. On the same card that Commes arrived, there was another standout ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance from George Strawbridge’s colt Lone Peak (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). After a storming seven-length debut triumph in Normandy, we could not believe our eyes when the relative of Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and the Galileo (Ire) pair Magical (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire) was beaten five lengths next time. That came at the hands of another Fabre project in Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who had already won by six lengths on his prior start in the Ballymore Thoroughbred colours at Chantilly. He returned to that venue to destroy Lone Peak in the year’s most undeniable ‘TDN Rising Star’ tagging, and when he was seen next the relative of Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was able to uphold French pride by seeing off the subsequent G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in Newmarket’s G3 Autumn S. Now part-owned by Godolphin, the imposing bay–who has received more than a small infusion of Wildenstein gold in his blood–is certain to stay a mile and a quarter, but how much further is open to conjecture. He heads the domestic 2-year-olds on 114 pounds in the classifications and that is 12 pounds shy of the generation’s true master Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), but he is a lovely colt who should be able to narrow that margin this term. Interestingly, Persian King’s sole defeat had come on debut when he came off second-best to the Freddy Head-trained Anodor (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}). That chestnut was snapped up by Jean-Louis Bouchard and he rewarded the investment with success in ParisLongchamp’s G3 Prix des Chenes, but he came up short when third to a better horse in Godolphin’s Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) when third in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere back at that circuit on Arc day. Shadwell’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Tasleya (GB) (Frankel {GB}), out of the smart Mashoora (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}), is another Rouget runner who looked very strong on debut before flopping behind Beyond Reason and her classy and over-achieving compatriot Lagrandecatherine (Fr) (Pedro the Great) in a solid renewal of the G2 Prix du Calvados also during Deauville August. She must be better than that, while in Alain de Royer-Dupre’s always deep stable lies a potential class act in Ecurie des Charmes and Gilles Forien’s Mythic (Fr) (Camelot {GB}). Off the mark by eight lengths on her sole start at Angers in mid-November, she is a relative of the G1 Epsom Derby hero Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) and is in the hands of a master trainer so if she turns up in a Classic trial, take serious note. More dark horses to follow include His Highness The Aga Khan’s impressive ParisLongchamp maiden winner Shendam (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), a son of the staying highweight Shemima (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) from the Mikel Delzangles stable. He is a grandson of the G1 Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}), which links him to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Shakeel (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Shamkiyr (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) as well as Shahrastani, so it would be no surprise to see him set off on the route to the Chantilly Classic. Al Shaqab’s Tuned (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) looks another potential Rouget gem after the daughter of the celebrated Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune) took a Deauville maiden in late October, while Juddmonte’s Obligate (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is also one to keep an eye on. Successful for Pascal Bary at Saint-Cloud in November, he is out of an unraced half-sister to Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill) and all her illustrious kin and where that clan is concerned the sky is always the limit. In Germany, Eckhard Sauren’s homebred colt Noble Moon (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) earned the bragging rights when beating Django Freeman (Ger) (Campanologist) in the prestigious G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten and he is a G1 Deutsches Derby prospect to the core. He currently leads the race to provide a first-crop success in that Hamburg Classic for his talented sire, but also by Sea the Moon is Stall Salzburg’s highly promising Quest the Moon (Ger), who took Baden-Baden’s G3 Zukunftsrennen before going down to Mission Boy (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) in the G2 Gran Criterium at the San Siro. Darius Racing’s filly Donjah (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) is as exciting as anything among her sex, having spreadeagled the opposition in Krefeld’s G3 Herzog Von Ratibor-Rennen and Henk Grewe knows what to do with a smart prospect. View the full article

Douglas Whyte has seen pretty much everything in his record-setting career, but he was confronted with a new situation at Sha Tin on Saturday. The 13-time champion was riding Multimillion, who jumped favourite in the Class Four Tsung Pak Long Handicap (1,200m), when the gelding did his best Derek Zoolander impersonation – he refused to turn right (yes, Zoolander couldn’t turn left, but it’s the same thing – neither are ambi-turners). Multimillion was leading at the time... View the full article

Injury-riddled jockey Ben So Tik-hung had gone 651 days with just one winner so you could hardly wipe the smile off his face after he booted home Sunshine Universe at Sha Tin on Saturday. So has endured a torrid run with injury, suffering broken wrists, a busted shoulder and even bleeding on the brain after a heavy fall saw him lose memory. The 31-year-old only resumed race riding last week after stringing together just three months in the saddle over the space of one-and-a-half seasons of... View the full article

John Moore was left singing the praises of champion jockey Zac Purton at Sha Tin late on Saturday afternoon after Good Standing broke through for his first victory in Hong Kong. Despite arriving at Sha Tin in 2017 with high hopes of a tilt at the Hong Kong Derby, a range of issues meant Moore had to wait until Saturday’s Class Two Beas River Handicap (1,600m) to taste glory with the five-year-old. “Any time you can get Zac on board is the biggest bonus you could ever want, he’... View the full article

Amirul, S John, Zawari suspended View the full article

Veteran jockey Paco Lopez has received a 30-day suspension from the stewards at Gulfstream Park for his role in a two-horse spill during the first race Jan. 31 at the Florida racetrack in which jockeys Romero Maragh and Carlos Montalvo were injured. View the full article

The catalog for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2019 March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is now available via the OBS website at www.obssales.com. A total of 577 juveniles have been cataloged for the two-day sale, set for Tuesday and Wednesday, Mar. 12 and 13, with both sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Under Tack Show will span three days, beginning Thursday, Mar. 7 with Hips 1-192. Hips 193-384 will breeze Friday, Mar. 8 and Hips 385-577 will go Saturday, Mar. 9. All three sessions will begin at 8:00 a.m. “Since we expanded the sale format in 2015, March has really become a much broader marketplace,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “We were able to add a group of precocious horses in addition to the select type horses they already expect in March. All you have to do is look at the list of runners that have come out of this sale over the past few years to see that quality horses come in all different types and price ranges.” Stallions represented in the March Sale include: American Pharoah, Awesome Again, Bernardini, Candy Ride (Arg), Curlin, Distorted Humor, Empire Maker, Ghostzapper, Into Mischief, Kitten’s Joy, Medaglia d’Oro, Pioneerof the Nile, Speightstown, Tapit, Tiznow, Quality Road, Uncle Mo, Union Rags and War Front. View the full article

HALF-BROTHERS TO TALENTED RUNNERS DEBUT IN HALLANDALE 7th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:02p.m. EST Hall of Famer Bill Mott unveiled a well-related Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider homebred in HAUNT (Ghostzapper). Out of SW Cheery (Distorted Humor), the dark bay is a half-brother to MGISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Elate (Medaglia d’Oro). Haunt’s second dam is MGSW & GISP Yell (A.P. Indy) and his third dam is MGSW & GISP Wild Applause (Northern Dancer). His deep female family also includes the likes of GSW & GISP sire Congrats (A. P. Indy); GSP sire Flatter (A.P. Indy); MGSW & MGISP new sire Ironicus (Distorted Humor); MGSW On Leave (War Front); and graded winners Norumbega (Tiznow), Hunting (Coronado’s Quest) and Quiet Harbor (Silver Deputy). Mott’s former pupil Rodolphe Brisset also saddles a firster with a famous sibling in Mass Appeal (Speightstown), a half-brother to GI Belmont S. winner and $1.2 million KEESEP buy Tapwrit (Tapit). Also a half-brother to GSW turfer Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}), the $250,000 KEESEP purchase is out of GISW Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal), who summoned $1.2 million from Barronstown Stud at the recent Fasig-Tipton November sale carrying a full-sibling to Tapwrit. TJCIS PPs ASMUSSEN UNVEILS PAIR OF PRICEY COLTS 6th-FG, $41K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 3:53p.m. EST Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Eric Fein teamed up to acquire RUBIN HURRICANE (Orb) for $1 million at Keeneland September and he makes his career bow in this spot for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Out of SP Tally Ho Dixie (Dixieland Band), the dark bay is a half to SW & GSP Kyriaki (Scat Daddy). He also hails from the family of MGISW millionaires Stellar Jayne (Wild Rush) and Starrer (Dynaformer); and SW & GISP sophomore Uncle Benny (Declaration of War). Asmussen sends out another pricey firster in Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton’s $675,000 KEESEP buy Copper King (Medaglia d’Oro). The dark bay is a half-brother to Canadian champion and GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Mine That Bird (Birdstone) and MGISW Dullahan (Even the Score). This is also the family of MGSW & MGISP Bolo (Temple City). TJCIS PPs HOLLENDORFER SADDLES EXPENSIVE BODEMEISTER FIRSTER 5th-SA, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 5:23p.m. EST Michael Stinson and his bloodstock agent Tom McGreevy went to $725,000 to secure KOA (Bodemeister) at OBS March after the colt breezed in :10 flat and he debuts in this spot for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer. The bay is out SP Victory Island (Friendly Island), who hails from the family of champion and MGISW Victory Gallop (Cryptoclearance). Also of interest is Polar (Graydar), whose price tag is not as hefty, but displays a string of bullet works over this strip, including a best-of-93 half-mile in :47 1/5 two back Jan. 20. TJCIS PPs BROWN UNLEASHES JUDDMONTE BLUE BLOOD 12th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 5:43p.m. EST Three-time Eclipse winner Chad Brown unleashes a blue-blooded Juddmonte homebred in HONEST MISCHIEF (Into Mischief). Out of GISW Honest Lady (Seattle Slew), the bay is a half-brother to GISW sire First Defence (Unbridled’s Song), French SW Phantom Rose (Danzig) and SW Honest Quality (Elusive Quality). His second dam is Grade I winner Toussaud (El Gran Senor), who is responsible for MGISW sire Empire Maker (Unbridled), GISW Chester House (Mr. Prospector) and MGSW Decarchy (Distant View). TJCIS PPs View the full article

Ed DeRosa of TwinSpires.com takes on TDN’s Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap each prep race leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets-highest bankroll after Arkansas Derby/Lexington day wins. DeRosa: Smarty Jones S. – Gray Attempt went to the front and dug in to score. Bankroll: $530. GII Holy Bull S. – A troika of Kentucky Derby points on Saturday ushers in Super Bowl weekend. We got off the schneid last week, and will look to add to our score with a trio of logical horses led by Maximus Mischief, who I see not only as the most likely winner of the Holy Bull, but also of all three races. I loved the brilliance he showed winning his first two starts sprinting and then stretching out to win the Remsen. I typically don’t like Remsen winners next out, but this is not your grandfather’s Remsen winner who excelled in that race because of the nine furlongs as a juvenile. This horse is just better than the rest. Selection: #8 Maximus Mischief (1-1). GIII Withers S. – It could be a big day for Charles Zacney, whose Cash Is King Stable is also in on Lucky Lee in the Withers, which I see as the most competitive of Saturday’s Derby prep slate. Lucky Lee follows a similar path to the Withers as fellow colorbearer Maximus Mischief did to the Remsen, winning his first two starts at Parx in brilliant fashion. I’ll play that brilliance to stretch out given the pedigree and what is a square price on the morning line. Selection: #5 Lucky Lee (7-2). GIII Robert B. Lewis S. – The Lewis is interesting pitting two established 2-year-olds (Gunmetal Gary and Mucho Gusto) against the flashy maiden winner Nolo Contesto. I’ll go with the up-and-comer from John Sadler’s barn. Nolo Contesto’s debut wasn’t terrible considering the start and picked up a lot of horses late. Then he was much the best next out when taking a lot of money considering the debut. The 94 Brisnet Speed Rating fits with these, and I see him as most likely to improve. Selection: #6 Nolo Contesto (5-2). Sherack – Smarty Jones S. – Bankit fell too far behind over a very speed-favoring surface and never factored as the favorite. Bankroll: $0. GII Holy Bull S. – Between the tough post and two very fast stretch-out sprinters drawn just to his outside, this is no layup for the unbeaten and very talented Maximus Mischief. I’ll instead opt for the second-choice Mihos, who should receive an absolute dream set-up. Mihos has looked plenty promising in his last two victories as well, including an impressive come-from-behind win in the one-turn mile Mucho Macho Man S. in Hallandale Jan. 5. The added distance and stretch to two turns should be right up his alley. Selection: #6 Mihos (5-2). GIII Withers S. – I liked Admire’s debut enough–he completely blew the start from his rail draw and turned in a serious move on the far turn and into the stretch to finish a respectable fifth going six furlongs–to give him a chance at a big price here. While he’ll have to improve plenty off that 71 Beyer he earned last out in his hard-fought maiden breaker in late November, it was still fairly impressive for him to return just 22 days later and successfully stretch to the demanding distance of 1 1/8 miles over a sloppy, sealed track. Scratched from the GIII Lecomte S. after drawing wide, he seems to be training well enough with a steady diet of five-furlong breezes in South Florida for his connections to take a swing at the Derby trail. Selection: #4 Admire (15-1). GIII Robert B. Lewis S. – The word was out on Nolo Contesto after his eventful debut fifth–he was bumped so hard in the early stages that Joel Rosario briefly lost one of his irons–and he knuckled down nicely next out after covering all the ground to graduate in his two-turn debut going a mile at Santa Anita in early January. Having likely favorite and horse to beat Mucho Gusto walk around the track on the lead is an obvious concern, but another step forward from the promising Hronis Racing colorbearer can make him a major player. Selection: #6 Nolo Contesto (5-2). DiDonato – Smarty Jones S. – Boy was I wrong about Super Steed… Didn’t seem like he really ran his race over a track that played to speed all weekend and he checked in seventh. Bankroll: $500. GII Holy Bull S. – To state the obvious, there’s a ton of pace signed on here. Maximus Mischief might just be a monster, and maybe he can rate, but he’s far from a lock against this formidable group. Mihos is the obvious alternative, but he’s tough to pass up for me. What made his Mucho Macho Man win impressive was how early he was switched off cover. He ran four wide out in no-man’s land around the entire turn and covered way more ground than every one of his rivals according to Trakus (between 21 and 53 ft.). The added real estate shouldn’t be an issue. Selection: #6 Mihos (5-2). GIII Withers S. – Considering the comment on my virtual stable for Lucky Lee is “early Derby horse?” I’d say I probably have to pick him. I just loved how he moved through the stretch when running up the score in a Parx allowance last time–he’s got that A.P. Indy low head carriage thing going on and appears plenty capable of getting an additional furlong. Selection: #5 Lucky Lee (7-2). GIII Robert B. Lewis S. – Nolo Contesto found trouble sprinting first out, but stepped forward in a big way to come out on top of a duel when stretched to a mile Jan. 4. The horse he beat is a well-bred, highly regarded colt who might not possess the most killer instinct out there, but he is a pretty good barometer for his competition. The horses who narrowly beat that runner in each of his previous two starts subsequently took stakes events (he runs back one race before the Lewis). The winner of his debut annexed an allowance and was third in a stake since then. Nolo Contesto should appreciate the added distance of this, and he looked great breezing in company last week. Selection: #6 Nolo Contesto (5-2). Click for Withers, Holy Bull & Robert B. Lewis Ultimate PPs from Brisnet.com. View the full article

The fourth annual Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club 5k is set for Apr. 6 at Castleton-Lyons Farm. Post time is promptly 8:30 a.m. Walkers, trotters and gallopers of all ages are welcome. There will be prizes for top three male and female finishers in each age group, as well as the fastest overall male and female. All proceeds will benefit a charitable cause, to be determined. More information about the race and sign up at https://ktfmc.org/5k/ or https://runsignup.com/Race/KY/Lexington/KTFMC5k. View the full article

The journey officially began Friday for 673 accepted trainers on the road to the 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. That is the second-highest number of accepted applicants in the event’s history. The 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover will take place Oct. 2-5 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The Thoroughbred Makeover is a training competition open to professionals, juniors and amateurs to compete side-by-side. “After a record-breaking year in 2018, our team is channeling that experience into 2019 to offer continued improvements to the Thoroughbred Makeover,” said Kirsten Green, Retired Racehorse Project’s Director of Operations. “We’re thrilled to welcome a lot of new faces with the class of 2019, meaning that many more riders are choosing Thoroughbreds as their partners in pleasure or sport.” View the full article

This year’s GI TVG Pacific Classic card will be held Saturday, Aug. 17 as part of an enhanced racing program that will feature an unprecedented five graded stakes races, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club announced Friday. Del Mar’s 29th edition of its signature race, the $1-million Pacific Classic, will headline a blockbuster program that also will offer four additional graded stakes–the $300,000 GI Del Mar Oaks, the $250,000 GII Del Mar H., the $100,000 GIII Torrey Pines S. and the $100,000 GIII Green Flash H. “We’ve seen it across the country,” said DMTC President Josh Rubinstein, “that racetracks and racing fans respond very positively to ‘big days.’ The Triple Crown races, the Breeders’ Cup programs–they put a special buzz in the air; they make the day into something that transcends the racing itself. Our plan is to bolster our premier race and make it the showcase event on a day like we’ve never had before at Del Mar.” Del Mar’s 36-day summer season will run from Wednesday, July 17 through Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2. View the full article

Jockey Paco Lopez was handed a 30-day suspension Friday by Gulfstream stewards for careless riding in Thursday’s first race, causing a spill and resulting in jockey Romero Maragh undergoing surgery Friday for two broken vertebrae and Carlos Montalvo suffering a fractured ankle. Management also announced that any jockey suspended will be given a mandatory five days. Gulfstream’s leading rider Luis Saez was the first to receive the five-day mandatory suspension for his ride in Thursday’s 10th race. View the full article

Jockey Paco Lopez was handed a 30-day suspension Friday by Gulfstream stewards for careless riding in Thursday’s first race, causing a spill and resulting in jockey Romero Maragh undergoing surgery Friday for two broken vertebrae and Carlos Montalvo suffering a fractured ankle. Management also announced that any jockey suspended will be given a mandatory five days. Gulfstream’s leading rider Luis Saez was the first to receive the five-day mandatory suspension for his ride in Thursday’s 10th race. View the full article

There's more than enough action on dirt to keep horseplayers busy at Stronach Group tracks. View the full article

A bill to provide Monmouth Park with a $10-million annual subsidy for five consecutive years passed the New Jersey Assembly Thursday and is expected to be signed into law by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. The money replaces a $17-million annual subsidy given to Thoroughbred racing by the Atlantic City casinos, one that then Governor Chris Christie pulled the plug on in 2011. Since, Monmouth has struggled to compete with other Mid-Atlantic area tracks that receive casino money and have the ability to offer larger purses. But what separates this subsidy from those in other racing states, including those that funnel slots money to the racetracks, is that Monmouth will not be getting a free ride. Neither will the state’s two harness tracks, The Meadowlands and Freehold, which will also share in the subsidy that totals $20 million for the two breeds. There are several provisions in the bill that the tracks must meet. If they fall short of those goals, the purse subsidy could end. Many of the provisions are requirements that involve the breeding industries for both Thoroughbred and Standardbreds, so far as increasing the number of mares and foals in the state. The New Jersey breeding industry has been decimated over the last several years. The legislation also calls for Monmouth to improve in areas that involve on-track business. According to Dennis Drazin, who heads the management team that operates Monmouth, the government is requiring Monmouth to show increases in attendance, handle, field size and, oddly, the number of horses four years or younger stabled in New Jersey for the majority of the year. “I don’t think we have to hit every one, but they’re trying to be responsible,” Drazin said. “You have to look at the legislature and what message they’re trying to send. There are a lot of groups out there saying why should horse racing get $100 million when there are other needy parties? I saw some criticism this morning that Governor Murphy vetoed a homeless bill; the reasons had nothing to do with us. But there are some people that don’t think we should be getting this money. The legislature is trying to be responsible, saying we’re not going to hand out $100 million if it’s not going to make a difference” Drazin said he was confident Monmouth would meet the criteria. “I’m going to spend my money in a way that we meet the goals,” he said. “When I go in and decide how to spend it, I want to make sure I have their requirements in mind when I make decisions as to how to spend our money. I will reestablish the 40% bonus for New Jersey breds running in open company, which should definitely encourage people to breed in the state. I’m not going to do things that are foolish. We were going to run until Dec. 7 at Meadowlands, but no longer will do that. Those days were not going to produce good handle numbers for us.” How Monmouth will allocate the purse money has yet to be decided and could become a subject of debate among local horsemen. All that is known for now is that Monmouth will hold a 61-day meet, plus six additional days of all turf racing at the Meadowlands. That’s an increase of nine days over what was scheduled in 2018. Drazin said Monmouth would also race on Sundays in October. One of the benefits of that would be the possibility that NFL bettors will also wager on racing. But, going forward, will Monmouth’s direction lead toward additional racing dates or the same length of meet with higher purses? Some horsemen are in favor of having the purses hiked substantially for a portion of the meet, a mini-elite meet that mirrored the 2010 “Elite Meet” when Monmouth average nearly $1 million daily in purses. Still others want to see the purses stay the same with a substantial addition to the racing calendar. When asked what direction Monmouth would go, Drazin said, “I am not prepared to comment on that as of yet.” No matter what direction Monmouth heads, the $10-million subsidy is seen as a major shot in the arm for an industry that needed one. “We’ve been working very hard on this for at least a year because the subsidies we used to get helped us be competitive in the region where it is very difficult to compete with states that have slots and casino revenues and get hundreds of millions,” Drazin said. “But it is very meaningful to get a purse subsidy when you haven’t had anything for years. It puts us in a position for the next five years where we have security. The breeding industry can understand that if they drop a foal in New Jersey today this is what they have to look forward to. Hopefully, there will be more mares and foals in New Jersey. On the racing end, it puts us in a more competitive position with the surrounding states. We’ll never be at the New York level, but it puts us at higher level for our overnight purses structure and we’ll be more in line with other tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region.” View the full article

Jockey Corey Nakatani is facing a misdemeanor battery charge related to an incident in September, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. View the full article

McKinzie (Street Sense), an eye-catching winner of the seven-furlong GI Malibu S. Dec. 26, stretches back out for Saturday’s GII San Pasqual S. at Santa Anita. The ‘TDN Rising Star’ was forced to miss last year’s Triple Crown series due to a hind-leg injury and returned to the races in style with a sharp score in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 22. He could only manage a distant 12th, however, after showing some early interest in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs Nov. 3. The 2017 GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) appears to be the main danger after narrowly defeating Dabster (Curlin) in the GIII Native Diver S. Nov. 25 and placing second as the favorite in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26. View the full article

When Monomoy Girl left Fair Grounds in March of last year, the Rachel Alexandra (G2) was her lone graded stakes triumph. Upon returning to the Brad Cox barn this week, she brought not only five grade 1 victories with her, but an Eclipse Award. View the full article