Wandering Eyes

4th-JEB, AED125,000, Cond., NH/SH3yo, 1000m, 1:00.43, ft GOLDEN JAGUAR c, 3, Animal Kingdom–Golden Sunray {SW-US}, by Crafty Prospector) gave the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate a second very impressive winner inside of 24 hours following the success of Walking Thunder (Violence) in Thursday’s 2000 Guineas Trial at Meydan. Drawn gate seven, the chestnut went up in the air as the gates flew and spotted his rivals several lengths. He made steady progress into midfield passing halfway and kept on very well up the hill in the final 200 metres to defeat the filly Salayel (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) by 3 1/4 lengths. The winner is a half-brother to Golden Domer (Quality Road), GSP-US, $121,011 and hails from the female family of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mine Than Bird (Birstone) and his MGISW half-brother Dullahan (Even The Score). Golden Jaguar, the fifth winner from 11 runners for the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate in the current racing season, is his dam’s most recent produce. Sales history: $90,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; $60,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $20,423. *1ST TIME STARTER. O-Phoenix Ladies Syndicate; B-William J Betz & Peter V Lamantia (KY); T-Ahmad Bin Harmash. View the full article

Trainer Brendan Walsh doesn't place just any horse right across from his Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots office in Stall 26; he wants one that is held in high regard for him to keep a close eye on. View the full article

In the early morning hours of Jan. 11, trainer John Sadler was a tad concerned he wouldn't get to see his big horse put in his most important work ahead of the Jan. 26 Pegasus World Cup (G1). View the full article

It’s been a pretty good week with both Henry’s Joy who jumped a lot better and The Some Dance Kid winning. Like so many other trainers we are still having to be selective with our runners. I was delighted to get all your questions on Twitter yesterday and I have tried to answer as many as possible: […] The post Donald McCain Blog – Weekend Runners + Exclusive Q & A appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Today is the turn of Pádraic Gahan, a Bloodstock Executive at Goffs, to take the chair and answer our questions TDN: Tell us about your career to date? PG: My earliest memories are of being on foal-watch with my father, Pat, so I owe my initial introduction to the industry to him having grown up on a farm of one or two broodmares in County Wicklow. This interest was strengthened over weekends and school holidays with Helen Markham in Grangecon from the age of 14 where I got an insight into the education of young horses. Having studied Commerce at University College Dublin and being a founding member of their horseracing society, I became a bid-spotter at Goffs in my final year. I recall the morning of my first sale, the Orby in 2013, with fellow debutant and good friend Nick Foster remarking ”I have had trials for Cardiff City and I wasn’t as nervous for them as I am now!” Upon finishing my final exams, I went to Ashford Stud in Kentucky where I was involved in the preparation of the farm’s consignments at the autumn sales in Keeneland. In January 2015, I met with Henry Beeby and joined Goffs UK for an internship. After nine months in the Scottish borders, I joined Goffs in Kill on a permanent basis. In June 2017 I embarked on a trip beginning with four months of travel in South America and culminating with a year working in Australia. There I divided my time between Melbourne trainer Robert Smerdon and Sydney-based Aushorse. I returned home in August to take up my current position at Goffs. TDN: If you could be one person in the industry for a day who would it be and why? PG: It would have to be any winning owner-breeder. You have foaled them, raised them and nurtured their whole life. TDN: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? PG: I have been fortunate to have many mentors who have been and continue to be willing to impart their knowledge but the most recent advice that I valued was given to me by a leading Australian bloodstock agent. It was on the subject of inspecting a horse at the sales and he advised to take a minute to let the horse stand in front of you when you first pull it out. To observe its behaviour and its general demeanour. It got me thinking about an aspect of the horse that I hadn’t previously considered much. Their mind is very important. TDN: What is the best aspect of your current job? PG: When the horses arrive on the sales complex and you can match the pedigrees with the horses and their people. We work hard attracting and processing entries, compiling the catalogues and the sales are the culmination of it all. It is very rewarding to exceed the expectations of a client and it is not always the highest prices that give the most satisfaction. TDN: If you weren’t working in the horseracing industry what would you be doing? PG: Working in the city to support my passion for the industry. TDN: If you had 24 hours to get someone interested in the horseracing industry how would you do it? PG: Give them an unbiased, no-strings-attached experience. We all know the passion we have for the sport, we just need to package this feeling and give it to others. I was exposed to this through the Aushorse initiative Racing Connections. There is often a genuine interest among the public but there can be a barrier to entry without the initial introduction. Team up with a trainer who has a runner and essentially let the person be the owner for the day. It involves meeting with them before racing, answering any questions they may have, introducing them to industry professionals and connections, accompanying them to the parade ring, including them in the pre-race instructions, watching the race with them, and no matter the result congregating in the owners’ and trainers’ area afterwards. All of this without an obligation to actually get involved. We have a marvellous product, we need to showcase it. TDN: What was your biggest achievement in 2018? PG: Professionally, the conversion rate of participants in Racing Connections to ownership. On a personal note, a 12,000 feet skydive. TDN: Who was your horse of 2018 and why? PG: Laurens – class and all heart. She was a queen as a yearling at the Goffs UK Premier Sale when purchased by John and Jess Dance and has since realised dreams. Siyouni looks set to be a remarkable sire in both hemispheres. TDN: What is your New Year’s resolution? PG: To keep learning and surround myself with good people. View the full article

Kempton Casino Chase Kim Bailey’s Charbel is a proper grader performer and proved that in no uncertain manner with an impressive eight-length victory in the Peterborough Chase when last seen. He seems to have appreciated the step up in trip this season and should be very difficult to beat. Top Notch was a Grade 1 […] The post Weekend Preview – Moore Hoping To Be On “Kloud Nine” In The Lanzarote appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

It may only be a run-of-the-mill race but a win for jockey Chad Schofield on Shimmer And Shine would mean more than its Class Three status on Saturday. Schofield was set to lose the ride on the promising horse after former trainer Tony Millard ceased using the young jockey’s services in late-November, despite him having ridden the four-year-old in all of his five career starts, which included two wins. Millard and Schofield had combined for four winners from 19 starts between September... View the full article

It’s been a long time between drinks for Sam Clipperton but the Australian jockey hopes a couple of old friends can help him return to the winner’s list for the first time since November 14. Rides have been hard to come by for the 24-year-old – he hasn’t had more than three at a meet since December 2 – and he heads to Sha Tin on Saturday with only two in his book, however they happen to be the source of his two most recent victories. Rule Thee steps out in the... View the full article

Karis Teetan was full of praise for Mr Stunning after giving him a final trial hit-out on Friday morning, saying he could remain at the lofty peaks he reached after collecting back-to-back titles in the Hong Kong Sprint. Mr Stunning went head-to-head with Hong Kong Sprint runner-up D B Pin in the trial where the pair cleared out and performed strongly in their final hit-outs ahead of the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) on Sunday week. “He came out nicely, relaxed and when I went... View the full article

Team Valor International's Bombshell will look to expand a two-race win streak from last year in the $150,000 Marshua's River Stakes (G3T) Jan. 12 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Peters and Thompson team up for big upset View the full article

Wecando does it from start to finish View the full article

Decreto too good in Class 4 race View the full article

Testing journey does not dim Gold Star View the full article

Horses' body weights January 11 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings January 11 View the full article

Early scratchings January 11 View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale–which surged passed its total 2018 gross after its third session Wednesday–concluded Thursday with its highest gross since 2008 and with a record-setting average and record-equaling median. “This sale exceeded our expectations,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “The desire of buyers to compete at the highest levels and their commitment to invest in breeding and racing stock continue to create the momentum that flows through these sales. It’s exciting for the entire industry.” Champion Abel Tasman (Quality Road) was the star of the January sale and set the tone for the auction when bringing a final bid of $5 million–a sale record for a broodmare prospect–from Coolmore during Monday’s opening session. The auction featured five horses to sell for $500,000 or over, up from two in 2018. “With Abel Tasman, obviously, we kind of anticipated that day one would be up from last year,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. “But if you take her out, it was still up considerably from last year. It’s just been a continuation of November.” Russell continued, “We were very fortunate this year to have some very nice mares in the first two days that attracted [major buyers like] the WinStars, the Spendthrifts, the Summer Winds and all of those, even if you take away Abel Tasman. But then you add in Abel Tasman and she was the queen of the day.” In all, 916 horses sold for $46,759,600–the sale’s highest gross since 1,493 head sold for $70,446,000 in 2008. The average of $51,048 was up 32.6% from last year and bested the previous sales record of $50,182 set in 1988. The median rose 66.67% from a year ago and, at $20,000, tied the sales record set in 2014. During the 2018 January sale, 909 head sold for $34,996,000. The average was $38,499 and the median was $12,000. The broodmare Mrs McDougal (Medaglia d’Oro) brought the auction’s top price of $1.6 million and was one of two seven-figure lots at the auction. The number of horses sold for $200,000 or more, which grew from 17 in 2017 to 28 last year, reached 47 in 2019 and the clearance rate for the auction improved from 74% last year to 78% this year. “It’s a very good market at the moment, and the depth of quality in this January Sale catalog generated brisk trade well into the final day of the sale,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said. “In particular, we saw an exceptional group of yearlings and fillies off the track, led by Abel Tasman, whose sale created early energy. Credit goes to our consignors for bringing these outstanding individuals to market and for setting realistic reserves on their offerings.” A competitive weanling market at the November sales led to strong demand for short yearlings at the January sale, according to Russell. “On the short yearling side of it, I think the pinhookers did not fill their orders in November, so they had no choice but to come here in January,” Russell said. “We knew that back in November because they kept asking us what was in January.” In 2019, 346 short yearlings sold for $13,950,600. The average was $40,320 and the median was $18,000. The top-selling short yearling at the auction was a colt by Union Rags who sold for $390,000 and was one of 39 sold for six figures. In 2018, 353 short yearlings sold at the January sale for a total of $13,786,100. The average was $39,054 and the median was $13,000. A colt by American Pharoah was the top-priced yearling, selling for $1 million. He was followed by another son of the Triple Crown winner who sold for $400,000. Those two colts were among the 38 yearlings to sell for $100,000 or over. “The yearling market through this whole sale has been very strong,” Hunter Valley Farm Manager Adrian Regan said. “We tried to buy plenty and got outbid a lot. When you bring up a nice foal, there is plenty of competition.” For the sixth straight year, Taylor Made Sales Agency was the auction’s leading consignor by gross with 116 horses sold for $10,832,400 and an average of $93,383. “We continue to see a trend where the very top of the market is healthy, and anything with quality–if there’s blue sky on the horizon that a mare or the foal she’s carrying can even have the possibility of being a six-figure horse–people really embrace that,” the agency’s Mark Taylor said. “When you get down to the ones in the bottom quarter to third of the market, you have to be very conservative with your reserves and you’ve got to know your product.” Demand for quality offerings remained high throughout the auction, with six horses bringing six figures during Thursday’s finale, led by Doug Scharbauer’s purchase of the broodmare prospect Classy Tune (Maclean’s Music) for $230,000. In all, 11 head sold for $100,000 or more during the two-session Book 2. Two hit that mark in the same section in 2018. Keeneland sold 451 head during Book 2 for a total of $7,902,300, an average of $17,522 and a median of $8,000. During Book 2 in 2018, 494 head sold for $6,694,000 for an average of $13,551 and a median of $6,500. A daughter of Street Sense was the top-priced short yearling Thursday, selling to Reiley McDonald for $105,000. “I think the market has been generally good at the top end–which it always is,” McDonald said. “I think the middle and lower end mares have been very difficult, but I think the foal market has been incredibly strong.” Up next on the Keeneland sales calendar will be the April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale which returns in 2019 after a four-year hiatus. “[Keeneland Director of Sales Development] Mark [Maronde] and [Keeneland relationship manager] Kyle [Wilson] will be going down to Ocala Monday to do the second run through there recruiting horses for the sale,” Russell said of preparations for the April sale. “The feedback has been very positive so far.” The 2-year-old sale will be held Apr. 9, with an under-tack show Apr. 8. Scharbauer Adds to Broodmare Band Douglas Scharbauer is intent on improving the quality of his broodmare band and Valor Farm general manager Ken Carson has been busy shopping for the Texas owner at Keeneland this week. Carson made his biggest purchases of the sale Thursday to take home the session’s top two-priced broodmare prospects. Leading the way was Classy Tune (Maclean’s Music) (hip 1427), a multiple stakes placed 5-year-old mare, who sold for $230,000 from the Eaton Sales consignment. “We are just improving our broodmare band and that was one of the ones that [Scharbauer] liked,” Carson said. “We’ll certainly be in Texas always. We stand stallions there and have a farm there. But we are going to increase our involvement up here [in Kentucky] because there really isn’t a great market in Texas right now. If that changes, we will change with it.” Classy Tune, a $135,000 OBS April purchase in 2016, was third in last year’s C.E.R.F. S., as well as this year’s Mizdirection S. for TNIP, LLC and trainer Simon Callaghan. “She is a gorgeous mare and she had real ability,” Eaton Sales’ Reiley McDonald said of Classy Tune. “She’ll make a lovely broodmare.” Scharbauer purchased Valor Farm in Pilot Point, Texas, from the estate of his late father Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. in 2016. The farm stands nine stallions, including Congaree, Eagle, Grasshopper and Too Much Bling. Scharbauer’s Kentucky mares are boarded at Hidden Brook. Earlier in the session, Carson went to $135,000 to acquire the unraced Rosalia (Orb) (hip 1278). The broodmare prospect was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales on behalf of Juddmonte Farms. “She is a beautiful filly, just absolutely stunning,” Carson said of the filly. Rosalia, purchased by Juddmonte for $450,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, is a daughter of multiple stakes winner Miss Atlantic City (Stormy Atlantic) and a half-sister to graded stakes placed Miss Southern Miss (More Than Ready). She is from the family of Grade I winner Cotton Blossom and multiple graded stakes placed Vicarage. “She found a very good home with Doug Scharbauer,” Mill Ridge Sales’ Headley Bell said of the filly. “Obviously beauty still sells and she’s a very attractive filly and two people wanted her. We were not expecting that kind of money, but two people got together and they were determined.” Also through Mill Ridge’s January consignment, Juddmonte sold Dissipate (Frankel {GB}) (hip 702) for $200,000 to Chad Schumer. “We all know what Juddmonte is, it’s the cream of the cream,” Headley explained. “And [Rosalia] is a filly that, unfortunately, they tried to supplement to their program and she didn’t work out. And they move them on. Their culls are other people’s jewels, without question.” Also this week on behalf of Scharbauer, Carson purchased Touch of Bling (Tale of the Cat) (hip 979) for $80,000 and Vinaka (Sky Mesa) (hip 195) for $45,000. In total, the Texan purchased seven head for $547,000 and an average of $78,143. Of Scharbauer’s plans for his breeding operation, Carson said, “He doesn’t like to sell very much, but hopefully he’ll do both [race and sell].” Juddmonte Runners Prove Popular Late A pair of racing prospects from Juddmonte Farms proved popular late in Thursday’s Keeneland January finale, with bloodstock agent David Ingordo going to $140,000 to acquire Own Agenda (First Defence) (hip 1531). The 4-year-old has won two of eight starts in the Juddmonte colors for trainer Bill Mott, most recently finishing seventh in a Nov. 28 Aqueduct allowance. “I’ve been waiting around for that horse,” Ingordo said after signing the ticket on the dark bay colt, who will be joining the Florida base of his wife, trainer Cherie DeVaux. “Garrett [O’Rourke] at Juddmonte had told me he was alright and Bill Mott had mentioned him to Cherie. I bought him for her and for some friends of ours. We’ll see what happens.” The next horse through the ring was another Juddmonte racing prospect trained by Mott. The 4-year-old Westerland (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (hip 1539), most recently fifth in a Nov. 16 Churchill allowance, sold for $100,000 to Three Diamonds Farm. Ingordo, who purchased future Eclipse champion Stellar Wind (Curlin) privately after a maiden win in 2014, agreed finding race-ready prospects was increasingly difficult. “It is the hardest thing in our business to do right now, period, because the end-user, the people that want to win the big races, own them and there is not a lot of inventory out there of horses that you can buy,” he said. “My clients, they want to buy the horse and move it to their program. So for what we are trying to do, it’s very difficult. Someone will sell a piece, but they want it to stay with their trainer, with everything their way. But my client base, they have their own program, their own ideas. So finding the Stellar Winds in this day and age is hard to do. Finding something that can run is hard. We have babies, but you have to develop them. With something like this, he can go to the entry box sooner.” Street Sense Filly a Pinhook Prospect A filly by Street Sense (hip 1251) was first to break through the six-figure threshold during Thursday’s final session of the Keeneland January sale when bringing a final bid of $105,000 from Reiley McDonald as part of a pinhooking partnership. “I thought she was a great physical with a really beautiful top line,” McDonald said of the short yearling. “She looks very racy.” Bred by H & L Partners and consigned by Lane’s End, the bay is out of Peace Talk (Arch), a half-sister to multiple group placed Zaham (Silver Hawk). She followed her dam into the ring Thursday. In foal to Astern (Aus), the 9-year-old Peace Talk sold for $47,000 to Turkish owner Arif Kurtel. Kurtel was the most prolific buyer at the four-day January sale, purchasing 17 horses for $664,000 and an average of $39,059. View the full article

Lone Star Park has scheduled Steve Sexton Mile (G3) for April 28 and has added another $100,000 to the purse, raising it to $300,000. View the full article

Corey Nakatani isn't going through a typical jockey comeback story. Too much has happened, and too much needs to happen, before he ever gets back in the saddle again. View the full article

The GIII Steve Sexton Mile, re-named in 2017 as a tribute to the late racetrack executive, has been pushed forward on the Lone Star stakes schedule to take place Sunday, Apr. 28 and will be worth $300,000, up $100,000 from 2018. The Sexton Mile is the headline event on a 13-strong stakes schedule at the Dallas-area oval, which will conduct 44 days of live racing from Apr. 18 through July 21. The Sexton Mile has been used as a de facto prep for the GI Metropolitan H. by the latter race’s last two winners-Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) in 2017 and Bee Jersey (Jersey Town) in 2018. “Steve Sexton and myself shared a great sense of pride in Lone Star Park,” said Steve Asmussen, who trained Bee Jersey for owner/breeder Chuck Fipke. “The Sexton Mile has become a significant event on the racing calendar with the last two winners using it as a prep for the Metropolitan Handicap.” View the full article

In this 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. Jared Hughes: TWIRLING CANDY, Lane’s End, $25,000 When I think of under the radar stallions, I think of value. And when I think of value, I think of Twirling Candy at $25,000. He’s interesting because he’s so versatile. The mares that I plan matings for have a variety of end goals; breed to race clients, breed to sell in the commercial market. I like Twirling Candy because he can fit all of those bills. I think he can move up his mares physically and he puts a real athlete out there. They typically have a nice big walk, which is such an important part of the market now. A good physical seems to be the first thing that people want. He has an interesting pedigree being out of a Chester House mare, with Mr. P close up creating some inbreeding opportunities. Twirling Candy is very versatile in what type of racehorse he can produce as well. Horses like Gift Box (two turns dirt), Finley’sluckycharm (sprinting dirt), and Concrete Rose (two turns turf). I just feel a horse like that, with his biggest crops coming through, has a lot of upside. Twirling Candy is a stallion under the radar because of this upside. Click for Twirling Candy’s Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or Race Record. View the full article

Medallion Racing, Keith Abrahams, and Sandra Lazaruk's Selcourt will run in a race over the weekend of Jan. 12-13, but which race she participates in will depend on the weather. View the full article

A total of 19 owner’s prize money bonuses will be offered by Weatherbys Racing Bank for qualifying races in 2019, Weatherbys announced on Thursday. Beginning at Huntingdon on Friday, the fixtures are split between seven Flat and 12 National Hunt races with £500 in additional prize money available to eligible owners. To qualify, owners must hold a new Weatherbys Racing Plus account which offers additional benefits and discounts including the option to have a debit card, and a 20% discount off the Weatherbys owner’s VAT return service. The full schedule of eligible fixtures are: Market Rasen (Jan. 17), Leicester (Feb. 14), Aintree (Apr. 5), Windsor (May 13), Thirsk (June 11), Bath (Aug. 21), Goodwood (Aug. 25), Ffos Las (Aug. 29), Doncaster (Sept. 12), Redcar (Sept. 17), Warwick (Sept. 24), Uttoxeter (Oct. 18), Newton Abbot (Oct. 31), Hexham (Nov. 8), Fakenham (Nov. 19), Newcastle (Nov. 30) and Wincanton (Dec. 5). “Through speaking with our clients there is clearly a demand for a more comprehensive banking service for their racing and bloodstock activities,” said Senior Manager Louise Norman. “It’s great that we can now offer this with the Racing Plus account, and equally exciting that we are offering the additional prize money incentives across a broad spectrum of race types.” 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 running at Kyoto and Nakayama Racecourses. Horses of note on special holiday programs will appear in Sunday’s TDN. Saturday, January 12, 2019 4th-KYO, ¥11,400,000 ($105k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1400m TRIREGNUM (c, 3, Will Take Charge–Fiery Pulpit, by Pulpit), a $250K purchase out of the 2017 Keeneland September sale, becomes the first Japanese starter for his young sire in this elongated sprint. The April foal is kin to MSP Dypsy (Broken Vow), the dam of MSW & MGISP Edwards Going Left (Midnight Lute) and is out of a half-sister to the good GSW turf distaffer of the late 1990s, Clamorosa (Seattle Dancer). B-Taylor Bros Prop.LLC Pollock Farms Patrick Payne & Baysore Stables LLC (KY) 10th-NKY, ¥34,620,000 ($319k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1200m The lightly raced EAGLE BAROWS (h, 5, Henny Hughes–Minny’s Niece, by Quiet American) gets the services of record-setting jockey Christophe Lemaire as he looks for a fifth consecutive victory dating back to 2017. A $20K KEESEP yearling turned $250K OBS April juvenile, the bay won both of his outings last season, including a smooth four-length victory off a six-month absence at Chukyo on the Champions Cup undercard Dec. 2 (see below, gate 13). B-C Kidder & N Cole (KY) Sunday, January 13, 2019 3rd-KYO, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m PIER CHIC (c, 3, Central Banker–Our Miss Jones, by Alphabet Soup) failed to handle the grass when well bet on his 1800m debut back in September, but he improved markedly with a switch to a dirt sprint, finishing a close third in mid-December. A $60K purchase out of the 2017 Fasig-Tipton NY-Bred Sale, the half-brother to SW & GISP Mr. Online (Silent Name {Jpn}) was the second most expensive of his sire’s two dozen first-crop juveniles to sell in 2018 when hammering for $180K at OBS March (breeze). B-McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC (NY) 4th-KYO, ¥13,720,000 ($127k), Allowance, 3yo, 1200m MONT PERDU (f, 3, Cairo Prince–Spanish Post, by Flatter) could scarcely have been more impressive in her lone racetrack appearance to date, leading virtually throughout to graduate by five eased-down lengths over this track and distance Nov. 17 (see below, gate 4). A $115K FTNAUG yearling purchase in 2017, she was knocked down to Katsumi Yoshida for $325K at last year’s FTFMAR sale after covering an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5. B-Bluewater Sales LLC & Three Diamonds Farm (NY) View the full article