Wandering Eyes

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-ELP, $50k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 5:42 p.m. ET Trainer Mark Casse sends out a pair of regally bred fillies in Friday’s fifth event at Ellis. CRYSTAL GLACIER (Curlin), a daughter of the same stallion that lit up the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sales ring during Monday’s session with three seven-figure colts, was acquired by Live Oak for the sum of $500,000 as a yearling at that sale a year ago. The dark bay hails from the family of Grade I winner and sire Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy) through her second dam, the multiple Grade I victress Dream Supreme (Seeking the Gold). Casse’s other runner, Go for Mo (Uncle Mo) dropped the hammer for $190,000 at the OBS April Sale after breezing a quarter mile in :21 4/5. The HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud-owned runner is a half-sister to Champion sprinter Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) and the multiple stakes-winning Wilbo (Candy Ride {Arg}). The fleet-footed filly drilled a bullet half-mile in :47 4/5 (1/39) Aug. 1 at Churchill Downs. TJCIS PPs 6th-SAR, $90k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 3:42 p.m. ET Peter Brant’s INDOCHINE (War Front) has breezed several times in company with stablemate Sketches of Spain (Ire) (Lopa de Vega {Ire}), who graduated in her debut Aug. 4 at the Spa for trainer Chad Brown. The $470,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase is out of the mare Fascinating (Smart Strike), a half-sister to Grade I winner and blue chip stallion Bodemeister (Empire Maker). Fascinating finished a narrow second to eventual 2013 Champion 2-year-old filly She’s a Tiger (Tale of the Cat) in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. as a juvenile. Divided Sky (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) breaks just to the outside of Indochine for the always dangerous barn of Wesley Ward. The e Five Racing Thoroughbreds-owned filly is a half-sister to Lady Prancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who captured the June 1 GIII Honeymoon S. over the Santa Anita lawn. Her unraced dam Naqrah (Ire) (Haatef) is a sibling to the producer of Almanaar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the track-record setting conquerer of the May 25 GII Monmouth S. Almanaar claimed the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. for trainer Chad Brown in 2017. TJCIS PPs The post August 9 Insights: Well-Bred Casse Pair Make Ellis Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When it comes to synthetic racing surfaces, Michael Dickinson is obviously biased. He is the inventor of Tapeta Footings, now recognized as the leading synthetic surface manufacturer in North America, if not the world. If several American racetracks were to do away with dirt racing and replace it with synthetic tracks, Dickinson would stand to make a lot of money. Yet, that doesn’t mean that Dickinson, who now operates Tapeta Footings with his wife Joan Wakefield, does not have the statistics to back up how safe his tracks are when compared to dirt or that his points are valid about how a synthetic revolution would go a long way toward calming the fears the man on the street has about the dangers of horse racing. “We can’t carry on as we are,” Dickinson said. “The politician will close us down. We don’t have a choice. I think it’s a choice between safer surfaces or no racing at all. How close were we to having to close down Santa Anita? It’s a different world now than what it was 30 years ago.” His comments come in the aftermath of a Santa Anita meet where 30 horses had to be euthanized, which led to animal rights activists and significant politicians questioning whether or not there is still a place for horse racing in a society that is decidedly more conscious of animal welfare issues than it was 30 years ago. Though some groups have been more radical than others when calling for a ban on racing, many other groups have demanded only that the sport do everything it possibly can to make the sport as safe as possible for the horses. There’s no doubt that a movement away from dirt to synthetic tracks would go a long way toward accomplishing just that. According to the Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database, in 2018 there were 1.68 deaths per 1,000 starters on American racetracks. Dirt surfaces were the most dangerous at a rate of 1.86 per 1,000, while the rate on synthetic surfaces was 1.23 per 1,000. That’s a 51% difference. (Grass racing was actually the safest form of racing during 2018 with 1.20 breakdowns per 1,000 starters). While 1.23 deaths per thousand starters on synthetic tracks is still a number that everyone in racing should aspire to lower, Dickinson says they tell a simple truth: synthetic tracks save lives. “I definitely think we are going to see a second wave of synthetic tracks coming in,” he said. “Dirt tracks have been around for 100 years and they are past their ‘sell-by date.’ There are lots of really good trackmen who have been trying to improve them for over 30 years and it hasn’t worked. The one thing is they can’t control the weather and they are very reliant on the right amount of moisture. They are like an IED, they blow up in your face without warning. There’s hardly a major track in America that hasn’t had a major outbreak of fatalities on dirt from time to time.” Dickinson said he has received several phone calls from racetrack operators and others inquiring about installing synthetic surfaces, including some from major tracks. He declined to name any of the tracks or people that have called. Though the statistics may be on Dickinson’s side, he doesn’t necessarily have an easy sell on his hands. Several major racetracks, including Santa Anita, Keeneland and Del Mar, previously converted their main tracks to synthetic surfaces. In 2005, Turfway Park became the first U.S. track to install a synthetic surface, Polytrack. Though Turfway still has a synthetic track, Del Mar, Santa Anita and Keeneland all went back to dirt. They did so for myriad reasons. Horsemen complained that while the synthetic tracks may have cut down on catastrophic injuries, they were responsible for a spike in other injuries. Though there’s no evidence that handle numbers fell when synthetics went in, gamblers loved to gripe about them. Farms that had invested millions in sires who did their best work producing dirt horses were understandably upset that many top races had been switched away from dirt surfaces. And some of the synthetic tracks seemed to produce more problems than they solved. In 2008, the Cushion Track synthetic surface at Santa Anita was draining so poorly that the track had to cancel 11 days of racing. Races like Keeneland’s Blue Grass S. suffered because trainers did not want to prep their horses for major dirt races like the GI Kentucky Derby on a different type of racing surface. Dickinson refuses to make any excuses for the first wave of synthetic tracks. “No, we didn’t give up on synthetics too soon,” he said. “The first time around they weren’t good enough. Mine was just good enough at Golden Gate and what we had at Presque Isle was OK. The other tracks weren’t good enough, period. You can’t blame the trainers for complaining. At Santa Anita, they used the wrong sand. At Del Mar, we knew that it was going to fail before it even went in. They just weren’t good enough.” Though some tracks stuck with their synthetic surfaces, it appeared that American racing had come to the conclusion that dirt was best. That premise is now being reexamined due to the firestorm racing is under from the media and others, who can’t seem to let go of the idea that racing is a dangerous sport in which some of its equine competitors die. Dickinson believes that if anyone digs deep enough they will find that synthetic surfaces, at least Tapeta Footings, have improved dramatically from the time they were first rolled out and that the problems of 10-12 years ago have been fixed. While many gave up on synthetics, Dickinson gave Wakefield control of Tapeta Footings and said she has done a much better job than he ever could have. The product Tapeta now markets is called Tapeta 10. The “10” is for the 10 improvements Wakefield has made over the original product. Some of Wakefield’s innovations have been put in place at Presque Isle Downs, where the fatality rate in 2018 was 0.34 horses per 1,000 starters, making it easily the safest racetrack in the country. But what Dickinson is most proud of is the safety record at two British racetracks, Wolverhampton and Newcastle, tracks where the state-of-the-art version of Tapeta 10 is in use. According to statistics supplied by Arena Racing Company, which owns both tracks, the rate of fatalities per 1,000 starters at Wolverhampton since 2016 has been 0.07. At Newcastle, the number is 0.08. There has not been a fatality at Newcastle since October. Over that time, there have been 3,096 starters. There have been 3,299 starters at Wolverhampton since the last fatalities, in December. He believes those numbers can de duplicated at American tracks with Tapeta 10, and that it would change the general public’s perception about the sport. “Thirty years ago Formula One drivers were being killed at an alarming rate and the public and the politicians reacted and said you have to change things, and they did,” he said. “It is a much safer sport now. That’s what racing is going through now and it absolutely has to make the changes to make the sport as safe as possible. We have no other choice.” The post Dickinson: American Racing Must Go Back to Synthetics appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

G1 Prince of Wales’s S. winner Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has held his position atop the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings in the latest edition released on Thursday. The 5-year-old established a mark of 127 for that effort, and while he subsequently lost to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by a neck in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., the three-pound female allowance that Enable received means that Crystal Ocean remains one point ahead of her. The King George third Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) saw his rating improve from 122 to 124. There remains a three-way tie for third between Hong Kong’s Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) and the now-retired American City of Light (Quality Road) and Australian champion Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) joins the rankings at 122 after his G1 Darley July Cup win, while Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) improved one point to 121 for his win in the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup. McKinzie (Street Sense) went from 121 to 123 for his G1 Whitney S. win, while Shancelot (Shanghai Bobby) earned a 120 for his 12 1/2-length GII Amsterdam S. win. The post Crystal Ocean Remains World’s Best appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend–each making their racetrack debuts–running at Kokura and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, August 10, 2019 5th-KOK, ¥13,400,000 ($126k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1700m NOCTURNE NOTES (JPN) (f, 2, Medaglia d’Oro–Summer Soiree, by War Front) is the first Japanese-bred produce for her dam, who posted her marquee success for Team Valor and Graham Motion in the 2011 GI Del Mar Oaks. The May 7 foal debuts for Dr. Masatake Iida, who acquired the filly in utero for $1.3 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale. Summer Soiree produced a filly by the late Deep Impact (Jpn) this past Apr. 19. B-Chiyoda Farm Shinuzai 5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($126k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m MEINER TIPTON (c, 2, Street Sense–Heywards Park, by Tiznow), a $100K Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase, is out of an unraced daughter of GSW & GISP Gemswick Park (Speightstown), the dam of MSP Tapped (Tapit). The bay colt’s stakes-winning third dam Queen’s Park (Relaunch) was a half-sister to the late Poet’s Voice (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and to Japanese stakes winner Gold Tiara (Seeking the Gold). B-Arturo & Eduardo Vargas (KY) Sunday, August 11, 2019 5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($126k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT OCEAN EYE (c, 2, Kitten’s Joy–Save Our Oceans, by Super Saver) is a maternal grandson of Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic), a Grade III winner on turf and dirt and third in the 2003 American Oaks Invitational S. Ocean Eye’s dam, a half-sister to GSW turfer Converge (Sidney’s Candy), was purchased for $200K with this foal in utero at KEENOV in 2016. Ocean Eye was a $77K KEENOV weanling in 2017 before hammering to Paca Paca Farm on behalf of Godolphin for 280,000gns ($386,375) at Tattersalls October last fall. B-Jean Etienne Dubois (KY) The post Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: Aug. 10 & 11, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Tag Stables' Homespun Hero races Aug. 10 in defense of his Meadow Stable Stakes title, the 6-year-old son of Hard Spun will be back in his home state and running at Colonial Downs. View the full article

Late last month Pat Keogh, chief executive officer at Leopardstown since 2011, took up the same position at The Curragh upon the resignation of Derek McGrath. The fast nature of that change over means that Keogh will slowly phase out of his Leopardstown role, presiding over both racecourses until the conclusion of Longines Irish Champions Weekend on Sept. 14 and 15. It is no secret that the redeveloped Curragh Racecourse, unveiled after three years of construction this spring, has undergone some growing pains which have already been addressed by racecourse management. TDN International Editor Kelsey Riley spoke with Keogh on Thursday ahead of his first Curragh meeting in his new job, Friday’s Keeneland Phoenix S. card, and Keogh said he is committed to restoring the Irish racing faithful’s love of the historic course. KR: What have been your first priorities since taking up the new role at The Curragh within the last couple weeks? PK: The Curragh has always had a fantastic racecourse and training grounds; they’re famous all over the world. But for the last 20 years, The Curragh has had very poor facilities for racegoers. We now have invested and built a very fine grandstand, which is magnificent. But I suppose with a lot of new sporting venues–and we have seen this before in racing– you’re going to have teething problems. Unlike a football stadium where someone goes to the same seats for the whole match, people move around racecourses, and trying to anticipate people’s movements isn’t easy. There were teething problems and what we’ve tried to do is iron those teething problems out and allow everyone to grow to love The Curragh and really establish it in its rightful place in world racing. There was a feeling where some people said there were too many reserved areas within the racecourse, where the general pubic didn’t have access, and we’ve dealt with that very swiftly. My first race meeting is [Friday] night for the Keeneland Phoenix S., and the public will see changes already when they get there [Friday] night. We’ve made quite a few changes, we’re not finished yet, but we’ve already made changes and I think that’s a signal of our intention to make whatever changes we need. KR: It was well publicized that there were only 12,000 people on course on Irish Derby day. This highlights a wider problem in racing where we’re facing dropping racecourse attendances; what do you think can be done to reverse this trend? PK: Competition has never been greater. There was a time when you had to go racing to see it, before TV, before you could bet online; you didn’t have the option to stay at home and watch racing along with all your other favourite sports. That is a challenge for all racecourses. I think we have to go back to basics on this. I certainly went racing the first time for the love of the sport, the love of the animal, the beauty, the speed, the colour, all those things. I think we have to work on that, because that hasn’t changed; it’s as beautiful today as it ever was. But I think there’s something else which is also a challenge. This is the entertainment business that we’re in and we have to entertain when people come to our racecourses. You’re not only entertaining the big racing fans; that racing fan has a partner, they have children and you’ve got to entertain them too. They’re going to watch the racing, but they also want some food and the children want playgrounds or whatever it is. You’ve got to recognize the needs of a full family audience. At Leopardstown, we more recently started doing that and the response has been good. You’ve got to recognize you’re not just entertaining the fanatical racing fan who just wants to the see the race and have a bet; you’re entertaining the person who is there with their family. It’s an entertainment venue and you have to offer as much entertainment as your competitive sports do, or whatever your competition may be–restaurants, the theatre; it’s not just sports. We’re all chasing after a share of the same wallet. We’re completing our development at Leopardstown in phases, and what we’ve done has gone well. We’re not finished yet but it’s very clear that the reaction to what we’re doing has been very positive. We’re going to increase our capacity at Leopardstown to be able to cater to 20,000 people at the best international standards. In the past the facility has been stretched at about 15,000 people, so we want to make the facilities very good and comfortable for a larger audience. That’s what we’re doing and we’re confident that we’re on the right track. KR: A major difference between Leopardstown and The Curragh is that while Leopardstown is located in the heart of a major city, The Curragh is very rural. Does this present different challenges in racecourse management? PK: Definitely. Leopardstown is situated in a city which is thriving with a population of one and a quarter million people. The Curragh is in a country environment with nothing like the same audience on its doorstep, but there are a number of big towns like Kildare, Newbury, Naas and there’s very good motor infrastructure in Ireland now so getting from Cork or even from Dublin it’s about an hour and a half. Getting there from Tipperary and Limerick, where there are many racing enthusiasts–it’s all very accessible. One thing that we have to do is, the local population in Kildare-and they are avid horse racing fans-we have got to get them on board. If we get them on board, The Curragh is going to be a huge success. KR: Something Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Officer Brian Kavanagh said is, “we need to reconnect with the local community.” Does that resonate with you too? PK: Definitely. The locals have gone through the three-year development period. They’ve been supporting The Curragh and going racing through the major development, and after that when the finished product came, it didn’t work as well as they thought it would. That has been a big disappointment for the local community. They were always very proud of The Curragh and we have to restore that pride. If I don’t do that, I’ll have failed. No matter where you travel in the racing world, be it in America, Australia, Japan, you will meet people that when they find out you’re Irish, they will mention The Curragh. They have trained here, been here, or they just know The Curragh’s position in the world of racing. It has a huge history and a very proud history and it’s known throughout the world, so we now need a facility that does it justice. I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in and making a success of it. KR: How much longer will you stay with Leopardstown, and how will that change over work? PK: The move to The Curragh happened very quickly. Derek McGrath, who was involved in the development phase, did a great job in terms of building the facility, and when he left there was a need to get someone in there. I was very honored to be asked to go in and I will be replaced in Leopardstown over the next period of time, but through the Longines Irish Champions Weekend I will preside over both racecourses. Leopardstown and The Curragh work very closely together for the Longines Irish Champions Weekend. I’ll be sad to leave Leopardstown; it’s been fantastic and I’ve really enjoyed myself there. It’s been a successful time for the track and we have a very loyal client base there, but it will be nice to go back to Leopardstown when I can go racing and have a drink or two and enjoy myself. The post Fast Start For Keogh At The Curragh appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Goffs on Thursday released the catalogue for its flagship Orby yearling sale, with 472 yearlings set to be offered on Oct. 1 and 2. This year, Orby celebrated a second consecutive Oaks winner when Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) was victorious in the G1 Prix de Diane. Bred by Kilcarn Stud, Channel was an €18,000 private purchase at Orby in 2017 by Meridian International. The year prior, G1 Investec Oaks winner Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) had been bought by MV Magnier for €900,000. One of the highlights of this year’s catalogue will be lot 262, the latest Galileo filly out of Forever Together’s dam Green Room (Theatrical {Ire}). Green Room, who has also produced the G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Together Forever (Ire), a €680,000 graduate of this sale, last year provided this sale’s €3.2-million top lot, the Galileo filly subsequently named Do You Love Me (Ire) and bought by Phoenix Thoroughbreds from Ballylinch Stud. Phoenix Thoroughbreds also laid out €2-million for another daughter of Galileo, a full-sister to three-time Group 1 winner Alice Springs (Ire), at Orby last year and another full-sister to those two goes through the ring this October as lot 127. Other Galileos up for grabs include lot 155, a colt out of G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Banimpire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), and lot 213, a full-sister to this year’s G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire). The progeny of young sons of Galileo will no doubt cause some stir, and Frankel (GB) fields a half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (lot 55). Australia himself is responsible for, among others, lot 255, a half-brother to recent Superlative S. winner Mystery Power (Ire). Mystery Power is by No Nay Never, whose progeny here include a half-brother to last year’s G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) (lot 205). Kingman (GB) is undoubtedly one of the hottest sires on the continent, and his Orby haul includes a half-sister to the six-time Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 81) as well as lot 258, who is out of a half-sister to the Derby and Arc winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Showcasing has also been on a tear this summer, and he has lot 181, a half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner Harlem (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}). There are two catalogued by Dubawi (Ire), including a half-brother to Cheveley Park Stud’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (lot 188), while Dark Angel himself has a full-brother to champion sprinter Harry Angel (Ire) (lot 156) on offer. Leading French sire Siyouni (Fr) has five on offer, including lot 228 from the excellent Aga Khan family of G1 Irish Oaks winner Ebadiyla (Ire) among others. His compatriot Le Havre (Ire) has six catalogued, including the first foal out of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) (lot 301). Lot 345 is from the first crop of G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Awtaad (Ire), and is a half-brother to this year’s winner of that Classic, Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “We have catalogued a world-class selection of yearlings thanks to our vendors who have entrusted us with many of their best colts and fillies. Last year’s Orby was a record sale for Goffs headlined by the two highest-priced yearling fillies in the world, and that the breeders of both of those fillies have sent the own-sisters back to the Orby this year is a wonderful compliment to the sale. They are joined by a multitude of Group 1 pedigrees to make up a catalogue that we believe has taken a further step forward in terms of quality and depth. We look forward to promoting the catalogue to the world over the coming months and to welcoming buyers old and new to Goffs in October.” The post Goffs Releases Orby Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 10-horse field for the Aug. 10 test features Bricks and Mortar; last year's Arlington Million (G1T) winner Robert Bruce; two potent challengers from Ireland and another from France; and the 1-2-3 finishers in the July 13 Arlington Handicap (G3T). View the full article

Chad Brown has three likely prospects as he seeks his fifth straight victory in the Aug. 10 renewal of the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse—but faces the usual Irish raid on the suburban Chicago track's big day. View the full article

Last week’s G3 Molecomb S. winner Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) is likely to take in York’s G2 Lowther S. on Aug. 22 rather than the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville four days earlier, according to trainer John Quinn. “She’s in the Morny and the Lowther, but I think she’ll run in the Lowther,” said Quinn. “She’s been absolutely fine since Goodwood. She’s had an easy-ish time since. She cantered lovely on Monday and I couldn’t be happier with her. “Obviously you never know until you try [six furlongs], but she hits the line hard and we shall see. She’s won on good to firm and good ground, while she ran very well on soft ground at Ascot. She’s not ground dependent.” Liberty Beach was taking her record to four from five in the Molecomb, her only loss coming when she was fourth in Royal Ascot’s G2 Queen Mary S. while drawn on the wrong side of the course. She had bounced out of that effort to win Sandown’s Listed Dragon S. prior to Goodwood. When asked if York’s G1 Nunthorpe S. the day after the Lowther-where 2-year-olds get a hefty weight break against older horses-had been under consideration, Quinn said, “We’ll leave the Nunthorpe until next year. She hasn’t done much wrong against some very good horses. Hopefully she can keep going.” The post Liberty Beach Likely For Lowther appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

... View the full article

This week is a recap of the 2009 Arlington Million (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse won by Gio Ponti and it includes recaps of the other top graded stakes on the Aug. 8 card. The recap appeared in the Aug. 15, 2009 edition of BloodHorse. View the full article

Two progressive gallopers by Windsor Park Stud stallion Charm Spirit will clash in Saturday’s VRC Member Helen Saffin Handicap (1400m) at Flemington when the Anthony Freedman-trained Heirborn and Phillip Stokes-prepared Sansom go head-to-head. The recently-turned three-year-olds were both late-season juvenile winners, with Heirborn a dominant winner at Bendigo at his only start and the gelding has duly been installed a $3.80 favourite for the contest. “Heirborn has shown above average abil... View the full article

Calling Us Home. Bill Thurlow could have another promising mare on his hands after Calling Us Home won the Carole Buick 1100 convincingly by 2-1/2 lengths at Woodville on Thursday. The Waverley trainer is in for an exciting season with Group One stayer Glory Days and Group One performer Beyond The Fort, and he believes Calling Us Home is capable of also adding black type to her page. It was the first victory in five starts for the four-year-old daughter of Niagara, who placed in her first three starts. “I just can’t believe she was a maidener,” Thurlow said. “Things just didn’t go quite right last time, but we were pretty confident she would go well. “I own her myself, so I would like to get some black-type somewhere along the line, but we will play it by ear. “It’s a mid-week maiden, so we will just see.” Jockey Rosie Myers was pleased with the win and believes Call Us Home has plenty of ability. “I haven’t had one that easy for a while,” she said. “She travelled up beautifully and she let down when I asked her to. “She should go on with it. Every run she has had has had credit to it, I think she has got the ability there.” View the full article

Tavistock. Cambridge Stud will host the first of three public stallion parades this Sunday at 2pm. The Cambridge farm will parade resident stallions Tavistock, Almanzor, Burgundy and Embellish. Subsequent parades will take place on the 18th and 25th of August at 2pm and 2:30pm respectively. All welcome. View the full article

Mathew Gillies will ride Gagarin in Saturday’s Grand National Steeplechase (5600m). Mathew Gillies has gained a doctor’s clearance to ride Gagarin in Saturday’s Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 145th Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton. The jumps jockey was concussed in a fall at Riccarton last Saturday, an injury that led to him missing the winning ride on Tallyho Twinkletoe in last Sunday’s Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown. Despite the significance of the win and missed payday in such a lucrative race, there was not a hint of bitterness or regret from Gillies this week as he was delighted for connections whose ranks include his former jumps jockey colleague Jo Rathbone. “It was so pleasing for Jo to win and for Kevin Myers, who has done so much of the groundwork. It was a great win for the Kiwis and for New Zealand racing,” Gillies said. “Falling is just part and parcel of being a jumps jockey and I’ve picked up winning rides through another rider falling and getting injured before. It goes both ways.” Gillies suffered his concussion when El Fernando fell at the final fence of the maiden steeplechase but passed his clearance in time to have ridden at Wednesday’s Grand National Hurdles meeting had he and trainer Kevin Myers desired. “Both Kevin and I thought it would be best to give it a few more days and Kayla (Veenendaal) had done a lot of work with Guy Fox and I was happy to let her have the ride,” Gillies said. Guy Fox finished third in Wednesday’s Grand National Hurdles (4200m) after Gillies had won the Sydenham Hurdles (3100m) on the horse last Saturday, his only ride before the fall. “El Fernando just started getting tired when he hit the course proper. The puggy ground got to him and he made an error and fell. Normally he would have put his legs out but he was just too tired.” Gillies has plenty of confidence in Gagarin for Saturday’s Grand National Steeples after the Myers-trained 11-year-old registered wins in the Manawatu Steeples (4200m) at Awapuni and Wellington Steeples (5500m) at Trentham in his last two steeplechase starts. “Those last two runs have been brilliant,” Gillies said. “Getting him to settle and come from the back is really working well. I rode him over the hill (when fifth in the McGregor Grant Steeples over 4150m at Ellerslie in June) and he pulled the whole way and used himself up. “I thought after that why not try and settle him back, get him to relax and see if he can have a bit more energy for the last part of the race and it’s working really well. “Shamal won the race last year and he deserves to be favourite but Gagarin nearly beat him at Waikato. Shamal was impressive the other day but he might just get caught up in the track if it does get a bit testing, whereas we know Gagarin gets through it well.” Gagarin will be Gillies’ fourth ride in the Grand National Steeples after finishing seventh on Daatledomee in 2011, fourth on Get Flash in 2015, then falling from favourite The Big Opal in an eventful ride in 2016. That day The Big Opal landed awkwardly at the fence with 1200m to run leaving Gillies without irons for the remainder of the race, the pair only parting company when the jumper made a poor leap at the last fence. “To win it this year would be great,” said Gillies, whose other ride at Saturday’s meeting is aboard Mesmerize in the Speight’s Premier Hurdle (3100m). Meanwhile, Gillies is also looking forward to starting a new role on Monday. Previously training in partnership with Graeme Thomas at Cambridge, Gillies will assist Karaka trainer Lance Noble as his travelling foreman. “Lance said they’ve got a really nice young team coming up for the new season and hopefully there might be an opportunity to travel to Australia this season or head south with any horses heading to Christchurch for the New Zealand Cup meeting,” Gillies said. View the full article

Admiral will contest the Pukekohe Plumbing 1400 on Saturday. Trudy Thornton will cut an imposing figure to her rival jockeys as she walks out to ride at Pukekohe on Saturday. Thornton stood herself down from her final ride at Te Rapa last weekend after her mount Mister Gerinomo clipped heels in an incident that led to Anna Jones copping a four-week suspension. However, Thornton won’t spend any further time on the sidelines after gaining a doctor’s clearance to ride at Pukekohe where her rides include the in-form Admiral in the feature Pukekohe Plumbing 1400. Thornton politely declined a stewards’ offer to watch video footage of the fall that has left her with bruising to much of her body but said her confidence remains unblemished. “I’ve got bruising to both knees, arms and lower back, but it’s all superficial,” Thornton said. “Oh, and I’ve got two black eyes. But I’ve lived and breathed horses all my life and injury is just part and parcel of the job. If I was worried about it, I would have given up long ago.” Thornton had her first ride on Admiral at Te Rapa last month and couldn’t have been any more impressed as the Stephen Ralph-trained eight-year-old ground out a narrow win over Group winner Sultan Of Swing. TAB bookmakers have installed Admiral a $2.80 second favourite for Saturday’s open handicap behind Hello M’Lady, a gallant fifth in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth last start. Admiral is a winner of eight of his 55 starts, all on heavy track conditions that he will again encounter on Saturday at Pukekohe, the venue of his Listed Karaka Classic (1600m) win in 2016. “He’s a tough horse and if he gets his own way in front, he’ll take some beating again,” Thornton said. “More rain would only help him too because I don’t think he’d like it really holding. He’s a super-nice horse to ride and he tries hard. In a small field, he looks really well suited.” Thornton was also looking forward to riding the Graham Richardson-trained Paisley Park, a $4 second favourite in the Panhead Custom Ales 1600. “He carried a lot of weight (60kg) last time and I went forward a bit earlier than I probably should of because that’s the way you have to ride Rotorua, but I’ll be more patient on him on Saturday. It’s a long straight at Pukekohe and he’ll have plenty of time to run past them.” Among Thornton’s other rides are the Glenn Old-trained pair Rukuhia and Oh What Fun. View the full article

HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal. The world has a new richest race, with the announcement of the creation of the US$20 million Saudi Cup (1800m), to be run at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on February 29. The race will be run on dirt and have a maximum field of 14 starters. The race will be free to enter and free to run in. The prize for the winning horse will be US$10 million with horses down to 10th place sharing another US$10 million between them. “The introduction of the Saudi Cup as an international race is without doubt the most significant event in the history of horseracing in Saudi Arabia, and demonstrates our resolve to develop this great sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and also our ambition to become a leading player on horseracing’s world stage,” His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal said. “We look forward to welcoming international horsemen and women, the media, racing enthusiasts and the public to Riyadh in 2020.” The Saudi Cup will take its place in the international calendar at the end of February and will be run four weeks after the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, and four weeks prior to the Dubai World Cup at Meydan, meaning that the top horses in training have the opportunity to compete in all three of the most valuable dirt races in the world. The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia will arrange and fund the shipment of all invited horses, and arrange and pay for the flights and hotel accommodation of the horses’ connections. In addition to the Saudi Cup, there will be further international races on the undercard ahead of the showcase race, which will be announced at a later date. View the full article

Bill Thurlow could have another promising mare on his hands after Calling Us Home won the Carole Buick 1100 convincingly by 2-1/2 lengths at Woodville on Thursday. The Waverley trainer is in for an exciting season with Group One stayer Glory Days and Group One performer Beyond The Fort, and he believes Calling Us Home is capable of also adding black type to her page. It was the first victory in five starts for the four-year-old daughter of Niagara, who placed in her first three starts. “I just... View the full article

Cambridge Stud will host the first of three public stallion parades this Sunday at 2pm. The Cambridge farm will parade resident stallions Tavistock, Almanzor, Burgundy and Embellish. Subsequent parades will take place on the 18th and 25th of August at 2pm and 2:30pm respectively. All welcome.... View the full article

Mathew Gillies has gained a doctor's clearance to ride Gagarin in Saturday's Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 145th Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton. The jumps jockey was concussed in a fall at Riccarton last Saturday, an injury that led to him missing the winning ride on Tallyho Twinkletoe in last Sunday's Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown. Despite the significance of the win and missed payday in such a lucrative race, there was not a hint of bitterness or regret from Gilli... View the full article

Trudy Thornton will cut an imposing figure to her rival jockeys as she walks out to ride at Pukekohe on Saturday. Thornton stood herself down from her final ride at Te Rapa last weekend after her mount Mister Gerinomo clipped heels in an incident that led to Anna Jones copping a four-week suspension. However, Thornton won't spend any further time on the sidelines after gaining a doctor's clearance to ride at Pukekohe where her rides include the in-form Admiral in the feature Pukekohe Plumbing 14... View the full article

When an expected field of 14 lines up behind the Colonial Downs starting gate early in the evening Aug. 8, it will mark the first Thoroughbred race in nearly six years at the New Kent, Va., track. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The countdown to next year’s inaugural Saudi Cup officially began Wednesday evening with a gala organized by the race’s officials in the walking ring at the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds in Saratoga. The race, scheduled to be run next Feb. 29 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, will be run over 1800 meters of the dirt track and will be worth $20 million–making it the world’s richest race. The field will have a maximum of 14 runners, with $10 million going to the winner. Hosted by television racing personalities Britney Eurton and Nick Luck, Wednesday’s event featured discussions with His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Abdullah bin Khalid Al Saud, and the race’s Global Ambassador Harry Herbert, as well as retired Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. “The introduction of the Saudi Cup as an international race is without doubt the most significant event in the history of horse racing in Saudi Arabia, and demonstrates our resolve to develop this great sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and also our ambition to become a leading player on horse racing’s world stage,” said Prince Bandar. The Saudi Cup is situated, by design, between two titans of the racing calendar, with the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park and the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Mar. 28, and the top three finishers in the Pegasus will be receive automatic invitations to the race. “We chose the timing very carefully,” Prince Bandar said. “We think it fits in nicely between those two races. It is close enough to the Dubai World Cup so that people who do come to that part of the world can stay. It’s a wonderful area to train. And I think we were very lucky that we had that opening between those two races.” Initial reaction to the new race has been positive, according to Bandar. “We’ve had positive feedback from the States, from Europe and from Japan,” he said. “We are very excited to have them excited about such a race. I think we will have to prove ourselves in the upcoming years. We understand that, but we think we have the right team and the right people. We definitely have one of the best facilities in the world. We have everything going for us.” Officials expect to make announcements about additional races that will be added to the Feb. 29 card in the months ahead. “It’s not a one-race event,” Prince Bandar said. “There are several races, all with excellent prize money, both on dirt and turf.” Wednesday’s event in Saratoga attracted a wide variety of industry insiders, including trainers Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, Tom Morley, Nick Zito, Ken McPeek, and Bill Mott, as well as Lane’s End’s Bill Farrish and David Ingordo, Coolmore’s Clem Murphy, Juddmonte’s Garrett O’Rourke, WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden, and China Horse Club International’s Teo Ah Khing. West Point Thoroughbreds’ Terry Finley, who made the biggest bid of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale Tuesday, was in attendance, as was Arthur Hancock’s whose Stone Farm consigned the $1.5-million sale-topping colt. Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ Tom Ludt was in attendance and asserted the operation’s commitment to be a part of the inaugural Saudi Cup. “We are very supportive of the race,” Ludt said. “We love this. This is what the industry needs. This is what the game needs.” Phoenix horses training overseas and considered likely contenders to line up in the Saudi Cup include Dubai World Cup runner-up Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}), but the operation could also send American-based runners over for the race. Ludt admitted one of Phoenix’s American trainers was already keen on taking a spot in the historic race’s starting gate. “Steve Asmussen said to me today, ‘Who are we running?’ and I said ‘Well, we’ll find another one,'” Ludt said. Herbert took the microphone Wednesday evening to extol the advantages of international race meetings. “We know that over the last 20 to 30 years, international racing has played a key part in the development of the whole sport,” Herbert said. “International racing, of course it brings international horses together–international competition is a hugely important thing. But it also brings cultures together. And whenever you happen to have an international race, in Japan or in the Breeders’ Cup, or the Arc de Triomphe or Royal Ascot, and now Saudi Arabia, it brings people together. It is just a wonderful opportunity to show off your country, your culture, your racing heritage. I think that is just everything about our sport and nothing is more exciting, and I think from a competition perspective, it’s flying your flag. Representing your country, but also seeing what another country is like. I think seeing what Saudi Arabia is like is fascinating, it’s a journey and that’s what we are going on.” The post Spa Event Launches Saudi Cup Countdown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

No one will ever consider Bill Parcells a touchy-feely type of guy. Yet if you ever want to see his soft side, just mention John Tuggle and the emotion will pour out. View the full article