Wandering Eyes

Blinkers can be used to sharpen a horse up by narrowing its focus, but it can also have the opposite affect in some cases. The addition of the gear worked a trick for Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s Right Choice in the eighth race and on the other hand, removing the shades has brought the best out of the David Hall-prepared Speedy Dragon. Looking at his form – his best finish in his first six starts was seventh before rattling off two straight wins – you could be excused for thinking... View the full article

Trainer Tony Millard believes the prospect of racing overseas with his born-again galloper Elusive State rests with the Jockey Club and whether they are willing to produce another race to allow him to improve his rating. The five-year-old made it four wins on the trot for his new trainer at Sha Tin on Saturday, overcoming a difficult trip to win easily in the Class Two Leighton Handicap (1,650m) on the all-weather track. The win also made it six wins in his last seven starts, with Millard... View the full article

Sha Tin is accustomed to seeing John Size-trained youngsters in full flight and Saturday was no exception, however the master trainer walked away with a mixed bag of results. Size came armed with a trio of three-year-olds, with the highlight coming when Tornado Twist flashed his ability to win the last race on the card, the Class Three Ventris Handicap (1,200m). Chairman Lo finished second in the Class Four Po Leung Kuk 140th Anniversary Cup (1,400m) and Dor Dor showed he is still finding his... View the full article

14:40 Kempton – Lanzarote Stakes One of the biggest handicaps to start a new year as a large field are set to embark on another renewal of The Lanzarote Stakes. Past winners include the likes of Tiutchev and Nycteos and in recent years Yala Enki, Tea For Two and 2017’s victor Modus who have all […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Saturday 12th January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation has introduced a new website, www.tjcfoundation.org. The updated site is compatible for mobile devices, tablets, and desktops and connects to the charity’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The foundation is a charitable trust that provides, on a confidential basis, financial relief to needy members of the Thoroughbred industry and their families. “Over the years, The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation has improved the lives of countless members of the Thoroughbred industry who have dedicated their lives to our sport,” said Shannon Kelly, development manager. “Our new website provides an accessible resource for individuals to learn about our charity, how they can support our efforts, and how they can contact us if they need assistance.” View the full article

The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association has pledged $1 per-start at Arlington International Racecourse and Hawthorne Race Course in 2019 to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. In addition to its support of the TAA, the Illinois THA created and supports Galloping Out, a TAA-accredited organization in North Riverside, Il. that focuses on retraining, rehabbing, and adoption of Thoroughbred racehorses from the Chicago-area racetracks. “The importance of Thoroughbred aftercare cannot be overstated,” said David McCaffrey, executive director of the ITHA. “This partnership is a win-win-win, benefiting the ITHA, the TAA, and most importantly, the horses who will be retiring and are in need of a second career.” View the full article

Victor Espinoza's next workout on a Thoroughbred is on hold pending further medical evaluation, his agent, Brian Beach, said Jan. 11 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park are where you'll find the graded stakes action Jan. 12, as both Stronach Group facilities card a pair of grade 3 events. View the full article

Jockeys Trevor McCarthy, Horacio Karamanos, and Jomar Torres were taken to the hospital for evaluation following a three-horse spill during the sixth race Jan. 11 at Laurel Park. View the full article

When Winners Foundation president Gino Roncelli walks the backstretch at Santa Anita Park, he can't help but bump into people who were helped by the organization's longtime director, Bob Fletcher. View the full article

Three of trainer Carla Gaines' horses were scratched from the Jan. 11 card at Santa Anita Park just after the second race went official. View the full article

The University of Minnesota Crookston Equine Science program will have openings to foal out mares for spring semester 2019. This will give owners/breeders another option to foal mares out in Minnesota, making the foals eligible for Minnesota Breeders’ Fund Awards. More than 10 Equine Science students will participate in pre-and-post foaling procedures as part of the school’s Equine Reproduction Techniques course. “This hands-on experience not only gets our students more involved in the field, but also gets them interested in the Minnesota horseracing industry,” commented Nicky Overgaard, University of Minnesota Crookston Equine Science Instructor. Minnesota Racing Commission Deputy Director Joe Scurto added, “To have the University of Minnesota Crookston support the breeding program in Minnesota adds great value to our racing community. The Equine Science Program is becoming more involved with the Breeders Fund, which will only make the program stronger.” View the full article

<8th-GP, $50,000, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, post time: 3:15 p.m. ET CAN’T BUY ME LOVE (War Front) makes her first start for Heider Family Stables and trainer Graham Motion. Dam Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a highweight at three in her native Ireland, where she was also a GSW and MG1SP (along with a pair of Group 1 level placings in England). She broke through at the highest level for the Coolmore contingent in the 2011 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland–just a week after finishing second to her elders in the GI First Lady S. there. Already the dam of MGSP Earring (Dansili {GB}), Together’s now 2-year-old full-sister to Can’t Buy Me Love cost $600,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale. Together is a half-sister to G1SW Jan Vermeer (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). One of two for Chad Brown, Beautiful Lover (Arch) is half to Zivo (True Direction), who her conditioner send out to a win in the 2014 GII Suburban H. and second in that year’s GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. Beautiful Lover covered an eighth in :10 2/5 at OBS April before garnering a $475,000 winning bid. She’ll be joined by stablemate Connectivity (Midshipman), a $45,000 FTKJUL yearling turned $150,000 FTFMAR 2-year-old after a :10 2/5 move herself. TJCIS PPs 10th-GP, $50,000, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, post time: 4:15 p.m. ET Gary and Mary West homebred BRAINSTORM (Tapit) looks to become the second winner from as many to start out of 2012 GI La Brea S. heroine Book Review (Giant’s Causeway). Book Review is a half-sister to GISW juvenile Irish Smoke (Smoke Glacken). Ry’s the Guy (Distorted Humor), a $90,000 graduate of the Fasig-Tipton Turf Showcase, is out of British G1SW Sleepytime (Ire) (Royal Academy). Prior foals out of the mare, herself a full to G1SW Ali-royal (Ire), include Group 3 winners Gentleman’s Deal (Ire) and Hathal Speightstown). Chad Brown pupil No Rules (Union Rags) was a $330,000 KEESEP yearling. TJCIS PPs 4th-SA, $55,000, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2fT, post time: 5:02 p.m. ET C R K Stable’s HOLLYWOOD GIRL (Giant’s Causeway) was an $875,000 Keeneland September yearling buy in 2017. She’s out of MGISW dirt router Hollywood Story (Wild Rush), who is already the dam of a trio of black-type performers. TJCIS PPs View the full article

D J Stable and Cash is King's Jaywalk, the frontrunner to earn an Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly of 2018, returned to the work tab Jan. 11 to begin preparations for her sophomore campaign. View the full article

Santa Anita’s 2019 Spring Stakes Schedule, which runs from Saturday, Apr. 13 through Sunday, June 23, will offer fans and horsemen a total of 35 added money events, headlined by three Grade I, half-million dollar stakes, all May 27—the Gold Cup at Santa Anita, the Gamely and the Shoemaker Mile. In all, Santa Anita will distribute $5.1 million in added purse money over the course of its 42-day Spring run. Including the aforementioned Grade I stakes, Santa Anita will run a total of 21 graded events during the Spring Meet, which will include a comprehensive offering of added money races for horses in all categories. Click here for a complete listing of Santa Anita’s 2019 Spring Stakes Schedule. View the full article

Grade 1 winner Channel Maker has joined the field for the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Harvey Clarke, a longtime player in the Thoroughbred business and breeder of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner I'll Have Another, passed away Jan. 11 at his home in Franklin Lakes, N.J. View the full article

Horse of the Year finalist Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), last seen capturing the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs Nov. 3, had his penultimate workout at Santa Anita Friday morning for the $9-million GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 26, going seven furlongs in a bullet 1:27.20 (1/4) with assistant trainer Juan Leyva astride. “I got him in 1:27 and [galloping] out a mile in 1:40 4/5, so it was a good long-distance work,” trainer John Sadler said. “On this track, it’s not super-fast. He’ll come back next week with more of a blowout type work, like five-eighths or something like that. But I’m glad we got this one in today because of the weather. It’s going to rain tomorrow and we’ve got a lot of rain next week.” City of Light (Quality Road), winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 3, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 (8/95) at Santa Anita Friday. He is also aiming for a start in the Pegasus. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 429 entries to date for its Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, to be held Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 4 and 5, in Lexington, Kentucky. Sessions will begin daily at 10 a.m. The sale will also feature a supplemental catalogue that will be available online and on the sales grounds. Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept supplemental entries. Hips 1-274 will be offered in the Monday session. Hips 275-429, followed by the supplemental catalogue, will be offered in the Tuesday session. “This year’s catalogue features graded stakes performing racing and broodmare prospects, proven producers in foal to exciting sires, and a large group of short yearlings with good sire power,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Those looking to fill their orders before the start of breeding season will find a number of interesting opportunities once again at Kentucky Winter Mixed.” The Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale catalogue may now be viewed online. Print catalogues will be available beginning Jan. 18. The catalogue will also be available via the equineline sales catalogue app. View the full article

Harvey Clarke, a prominent owner/breeder who bred the likes of GI Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley) and co-campaigned MGSWs Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile) and Soldat (War Front), passed away Thursday night at his home in Franklin Lakes, NJ, after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 77. President of the New York City-based AJ Clarke Real Estate Corp., The Bronx native became involved in Thoroughbred racing at a modest level on the New York and New Jersey circuits in the late 1970s. He increased his family’s involvement in the sport in 2003, and enjoyed particular success in the first half of the 2010s as both an owner and breeder. Just one year after making it to the Derby with Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Soldat (co-owned by Namcook Stables, Paul Braverman and W. Craig Robertson III), Clarke saw I’ll Have Another, who he sold as a yearling, take the 2012 “Run for the Roses” and GI Preakness S. A year later, the Clarke-bred speedster Havana (Dunkirk) annexed the GI Champagne S. before finishing second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; and that same season Cairo Prince, owned originally by the same group as Soldat, took the GII Nashua S. Godolphin purchased a majority interest in the now-promising young sire after he won the GII Holy Bull S. in 2014. Along with Brookdale Farm, Clarke bred and sold 2014 GI Coaching Club American Oaks and GI Alabama S. and 2015 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) out of his and Brookdale founder Fred Seitz’s MSW/GSP Exotic Bloom (Montbrook). They had already sold Exotic Bloom, a $65,000 OBS June purchase, for $500,000 in foal to Quality Road at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. “Harvey has been a friend and client for 42 years and we never exchanged a cross word,” said bloodstock agent Steve Shahinian. “Our friend, Dr. Michael Chovanes, put it best when he told me that, ‘Knowing Harvey Clarke has made me a better person,’ and I think there are many people in this world that feel the same way.” Clarke is survived by his wife, Donna, and children Scott, Alyssa, Nancy, Jennifer and Robert. Service arrangements are pending. View the full article

The South Florida racing community held a moment of silence Friday in memory of Mildred “Mickie” Poleo, one of the most loved and colorful members of the Gulfstream staff who passed away last week. Mickie worked the concession stands at Gulfstream since 1963. “Everyone looked forward to visiting and talking to Mickie every day at Gulfstream,” said Gulfstream General Manager Bill Badgett. “She loved her customers, her co-workers, her job, and loved racing. She was an incredible person. I’ve never met anyone like her. She will be greatly missed.” View the full article

No, WinStar’s Speightstown (Gone West–Silken Cat, by Storm Cat) is not an underrated sire, as some said on social media shortly after the stallion’s Competitionofideas won the Gl American Oaks at Santa Anita Dec. 29. Speightstown is by all standards a top-class stallion, and at age 21 he’s just as appealing now as he’s been the last decade. He may, however, be a bit misunderstood. Competitionofideas became her sire’s 15th individual winner at the highest level and his 99th overall black-type winner, numbers commensurate for a stallion who will stand for $80,000 live foal this year, his 15th season. A prolific sire of winners that act on dirt and turf over a variety of distances (when bred accordingly), Speightstown is a throwback to the established sires of the past in several ways, notably this: from named foals of racing age–not starters–he gets more than 80% runners, more than 60% winners, and 10% black-type winners–stats reminiscent of leading stallions from the pre-big-book age. Speightstown is a bit of a bargain now as his fee has dropped from the $100,000 he commanded from 2016 to 2018, and this may be a nod to age and to the distinct pattern of development of his Grade l winners, something I labelled “The Speightstown Effect” four years ago in a blog post at my day job at Werk Thoroughbred Consultants (WTC). You can read it here, and I suggest you do for more textural background, but if you read on you’ll get the gist of the argument plus the added data that’s brought it up to date. A winner of 10 of 16 starts and the earner of $1,258,256, Speightstown was the champion sprinter at age six in 2004, when he won the Gl Breeders’ Cup Sprint and four other black-type races. He wasn’t a stakes winner before that, and his career was marked by long gaps away from the track due to various mishaps and injuries from two to five. Because, as a $2 million yearling, he was always highly regarded, he was patiently persevered with and finally rewarded his connections, even if it was years later than anticipated. An attractive, muscular, and compact horse, Speightstown entered stud at WinStar in 2005 for a $40,000 fee, and the common and altogether natural assumption was that he’d get fast and early horses–which he does. Almost a quarter of his black-type winners are 2-year-olds and about 20% of his named 2-year-olds win; and many of his top runners are sprinter/ milers. Because of his impeccable consistency, Speightstown’s fee has never dropped below $35,000 (in 2009 and 2010 after the global economic collapse), and from 2011 until the drop in fee this year it only went up, first to $50,000 (2011 and 2012), then to $60,000 (2013), $80,000 (2014 and 2015), and finally to $100,000 (2016 to 2018). The Speightstown Effect… What is the “Speightsown Effect?” It’s this: Speightstown doesn’t get 2-year-old Grade l winners or spring 3-year-old Grade l winners. From 11 crops through the end of 2018 numbering almost 1000 foals and including 2-year-olds, Speightstown has never had a 2-year-old Grade l or Group 1 winner to date, and none before July of their 3-year-old seasons. All rules, of course, may eventually be broken–see Apollo and Justify–but from a broader perspective the “Speightstown Effect” is perhaps an indicator that the stallion’s best progeny need more time than expected to mature–just as he did–and aren’t necessarily the best classic prospects, even though he can get runners that win at 10 furlongs or dirt and turf. This is easier to conceptualize with a tall and scopey horse like, say, Unbridled’s Song than it is with one that looks like he’s built for early speed, but there’s similarity between the two sires because both sired progeny that demonstrated early ability despite some immaturity but were kept on with, sometimes to bad effect. When trainers finally started to give the Unbridled’s Songs more time to mature later in his career, he got some of his best runners, and those did a lot to alter the earlier notion that he got a lot of brittle horses. These included champions Arrogate and Forever Unbridled, plus Grade l winners Cross Traffic and Liam’s Map, among others. Likewise, Speightstown’s Grade l profile to date has been based on second-half 3-year-olds and older runners, irrespective of distance or surface, and it’s likely that he may have had more top-level winners earlier on if some of his more promising runners hadn’t been pushed as hard at two and early at three. At any rate, here are Speightstown’s 15 Grade l winners with the time of their first win at the highest level: Reynaldothewizard (2006) won the G1 Golden Shaheen at seven in 2013. Haynesfield (2006) won the Gl Jockey Club Gold Cup at four in 2010. Lord Shanakill (2006) won the G1 Prix Jean Prat at three (July) in 2009. Jersey Town (2006) won the Gl Cigar Mile at four in 2010. Mona de Momma (2006) won the Gl Humana Distaff at four in 2010. Poseidon’s Warrior (2008) won the Gl Alfred G. Vanderbilt at four in 2012. Golden Ticket (2009) won the Gl Travers at three (August) in 2012. Dance to Bristol (2009) won the Gl Ballerina at four in 2013. She’s Happy (Arg) (2009) won the G1 Estrellas Sprint at end of SH season at three. Seek Again (2010) won the Gl Hollywood Derby at three (December) in 2013. Lighthouse Bay (2010) won the Gl Prioress at three (July) in 2013. Tamarkuz (2010) won the Gl BC Dirt Mile at six in 2016. Rock Fall (2011) won the Gl Alfred G. Vanderbilt at four in 2015. Force the Pass (2012) won the Gl Belmont Derby Invitational at three (July) in 2015. Competitionofideas (2015) won the Gl American Oaks at three (December) in 2018. The results are stark and have practical application. At WTC, we’ve been a strong backer of Speightstown from the beginning and have recommended him without qualms all the way up to $100,000, as his record has always warranted the fee increases. In fact, this year I’ve personally booked two mares to the horse on behalf of a client and recommended him for eight other client mares. But about five years ago, we added a qualifier to our recommendations: don’t push too hard too early with the Speightstowns. Several clients have benefitted from this advice. Speightstown is the type of horse that pedigree scholar Franco Varola might have labelled as “Trans-Brilliant”–that is, a fast or brilliant type that grafts well to stamina–which is something obvious in the horse’s ability to get 10-furlong Grade l winners like Haynesfield (from a Deputy Minister-line mare), Golden Ticket (from a Deputy Minister mare), Seek Again (from a Danehill mare from a Blushing Groom {Fr} mare), Force the Pass (from a Dynaformer mare), and Competitionofideas (from a Medaglia d’Oro mare). But quality sprinter/miler speed is his métier, and he consistently imparts it to his progeny, which makes him a popular sire for owners and breeders. And because his offspring are sound (with 80% runners from named foals, as noted earlier), win regularly, and get black type at above-average rates, he’s an elite sire–no questions whatsoever. He’s just got an effect you need to be aware of. Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks. View the full article

When Winners Foundation president Gino Roncelli walks the backstretch at Santa Anita Park, he can't help but bump into people who were helped by the organization's longtime director, Bob Fletcher. View the full article

D J Stable and Cash is King’s Jaywalk (Cross Traffic), the front-runner to earn an Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly of 2018, is targeting the GII Davona Dale S. for her sophomore debut going one mile at Gulfstream Mar. 2. The GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine and GI Frizette S. winner returned to the worktab with a four-furlong move in :50.80 (23/38) at Palm Meadows Jan. 11. “She went a nice, easy half. It was perfect,” trainer John Servis said. “She galloped out super, so she didn’t lose much. Everything went very good.” Servis continued, “The way she galloped out today, I’d say we’re right on schedule. She acts the same and looks the same. She maybe got a little bit taller but, other than that, she hasn’t changed much at all, to be honest with you. She put on a little bit of weight, which is good.” Joining Jaywalk as Eclipse finalists are Bellafina (Quality Road), also a two-time Grade I winner who ran fourth in the Juvenile Fillies, and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who went three-for-three in 2018 capped by a jaw-dropping victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The 48th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony will be held Jan. 24 in the Sport of Kings Theater at Gulfstream Park. Servis also trained GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. winner Smarty Jones to the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old of 2004. “We’re very excited about it,” Servis said. “I don’t know how much else she needed to do. She won at [four] at different racetracks, all at different distances, and she won two Grade Is. She had a pretty damn good year.” View the full article

In this new series we ask agents and others who book a lot of mares for their clients which sires might be flying slightly under the radar in this breeding season. Who might be getting overlooked in the rush for the new, hot thing? Read on. Kathy Berkey MIDNIGHT LUTE, Hill ‘n’ Dale, $15,000 I just think at $15,000 Midnight Lute is very good value. Especially for a stallion that was the 17th leading stallion by earnings in the country last year. I tend to look at stud fees based on yearling averages, where I like to see 3x stud fee, and medians, where I like to see 2x stud fee. When I look at his yearling average last year at around $75,000 and the median was $60,000, so he’s way above those multiples that I like to see from a stallion. He has consistently proven that he can get a good racehorse. They sprint, they can go long, and they are generally very good looking. I’ve had a lot of success selling them, racing them, and I like stallions that are flexible that way. Depending on your client, you can breed to race or breed to sell a Midnight Lute. I probably have five or six mares booked to him this year already. He’s a horse that can breed to a lot of different physicals because he’s big, he’s correct, and he’s got some scope to him. He’s very straightforward and can help a mare. I think in that $10,000-$20,000 range it’s very difficult to find a proven, solid stallion like Midnight Lute. Click for Midnight Lute’s catalogue-style pedigree or race record. View the full article