Wandering Eyes

Moon Colony (Uncle Mo) and Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), one-two across the line in the GII Penn Mile S. June 1, lock horns again in Friday’s GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. at Saratoga. Moon Colony turns back to a mile after setting a pressured pace and tiring to ninth in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. going 1 1/4 miles July 6. “I think the cut back to a mile will be good for him,” trainer Mark Casse said. “He’s already well proven at a mile, so I think that the Hall of Fame suits him quite nicely.” Casa Creed, a narrow winner over subsequent Belmont Derby victor Henley’s Joy (Kitten’s Joy) in the Kitten’s Joy S. earlier this term at Gulfstream, was a good third in the Manila S. downstate July 4. Award Winner (Ghostzapper) got tagged late by a neck after showing the way in Delaware’s GIII Kent S. July 6 going 1 1/8 miles. The post Penn Mile Rematch in Hall of Fame appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy), an authoritative heroine of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. July 6, looks to add the second leg of NYRA’s inaugural Turf Tiara to her resume in the $750,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational at the Spa Friday. The talented dark bay has won five of six career starts, including this term’s GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa Mar. 9 and GIII Edgewood S. at Churchill Downs May 3. Her lone defeat-an eighth-place finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf–came over the very well-documented saturated going at Churchill Downs last fall. She breezed four furlongs around the dogs over the Oklahoma turf in :49 (4/53) July 27 (XBTV Video). “Right now, she is [the best 3-year-old turf filly in the country], but we’re halfway through the year and hope we continue on,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “I think the mile and three sixteenths [distance] is well within her ability.” Happen (War Front), a narrow victress of the seven-furlong G3 Coolmore EBF Athasi S. over soft going at The Curragh May 6, makes the trip across the pond for Aidan O’Brien. She receives first-time Lasix following a sixth-place finish in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 21. Olendon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), runner-up at 17-1 in the G1 Saxon Warrior Prix Saint Alary at Longchamp May 26, was a disappointing eighth in the Belmont Oaks. She receives first-time blinkers and Lasix in this first start for trainer Chad Brown. The post ‘Rose’ Headlines Saratoga Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hawthorne Race Course will not conduct live Thoroughbred racing in the spring of 2020 while it builds out casino and sports-betting facilities, leaving a nearly four-month hole in the Chicago-area schedule. View the full article

Representative Paul Tonko, a New York Democrat, said Aug. 1 that he expects a subcommittee hearing on the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2019 this fall. 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 Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, August 3, 2019 4th-KOK, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1700m MONUMENT KING (c, 3, Creative Cause–Overvalued, by Forest Grove) cost Shadai Farm $500K at Keeneland September in 2017, easily the most expensive of his sire’s 30 yearlings reported as sold that year. Well beaten in a single try on grass to kick off his career, he is bred to be much better on the dirt, as his dam was a four-time stakes winner over the surface in Western Canada and is a half-sister to Our Majesty (Majesticperfection), runner-up in the 2017 GIII Miss Preakness S. B-Brereton C Jones (KY) Sunday, August 4, 2019 3rd-SAP, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1700m BEST MAGIC (c, 3, Speightstown–Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun), a half-brother to Eclipse Award-winning juvenile and MGISW Good Magic (Curlin), was dispatched the 17-10 favorite for his Nakayama debut this past January and just failed by a nose to fellow US-bred Maria’s Heart (Shanghai Bobby). A $200K KEESEP yearling turned $700K OBS April breezer, the dark bay is out of a MSW & GSP dam who is a half-sister to GSW & GISP turf distaffer Take the Ribbon (Chester House), SW & GSP Flash Forward (Curlin) and SW & GSP Flash Mash (Smarty Jones). Third dam Gils Magic (Magesterial) produced GISW Magical Maiden (Lord Avie) who in turn bred GISW Miss Houdini (Belong to Me). B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY) 7th-NII, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m DOVER TESORO (c, 3, Union Rags–Miss Emilia, by War Front) has one racetrack appearance under his belt, a solid fourth going this distance at Nakayama Apr. 7 (see below, gate 1). Produced by a half-sister to French SW & GSP War Officer (Grand Slam), SW Doo Lang (Pulpit) and MGSP Danceland (Tapit), the April foal hails from the female family of G1SW War Command (War Front) and GSW Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat). Offered in utero, but bought back on a bid of $195K at KEENOV in 2015, the April foal was a $135K KEENOV weanling and 210K gns ($288K) Tattersalls October yearling. B-Chadds Ford Stable LLC (KY) 11th-NII, Leopard S.-G3, ¥76m ($703k), 3yo, 1800m AVANCE (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Above Heaven, by Mr. Greeley) has finished out of the top three just once in five starts and exits a handy victory going this trip at Hanshin June 8. The colt’s dam is an unraced daughter of 2007 GI Alabama S. victress Lady Joanne (Orientate), herself a half-sister to 2011 GI Preakness S. hero Shackleford (Forestry), MGSWs Baghdaria (Royal Academy) and Afleeting Lady (Afleet Alex) and SW & GSP Stephanoatsee (A.P. Indy). B-Dr Masatake Iida (KY) The post Notable US-Breds in Japan: Aug. 3 & 4, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Whitney Stakes (G1) is part of the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In--Presented by America's Best Racing," broadcast schedule. View the full article

The New York Racing Association Inc. will welcome a dozen of the sport's top jockeys back to Saratoga Race Course for the sixth annual Jockey Legends Day, presented by Fasig-Tipton, Sunday, August 4. View the full article

A little more than a week after receiving a preliminary injunction allowing him stalls and entries at Del Mar, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will send out two-time grade 1 winner Vasilika in the $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T) Aug. 3. View the full article

The Jockey Club announced Aug. 1 that its Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing will feature international perspectives as well as communications strategies in times of crisis and measures that may improve the Thoroughbred industry. View the full article

There was a surprise in Thursday’s G1 Qatar Nassau S. as the 5-year-old Japanese representative Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) arrived late to beat Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in a thrilling edition of the Goodwood contest. Settled with one behind early by Oisin Murphy, the 2017 Shuka Sho heroine who was sixth in the June 19 G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot enjoyed a dream run up the rail in the straight to catch the long-time leader Mehdaayih in the last 75 yards and score by 1 1/4 lengths, with Rawdaa (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) a length back in third. 1–DEIRDRE (JPN), 133, m, 5, Harbinger (GB)–Reizend (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). O-Toji Morita; B-Northern Farm (JPN); T-Mitsuru Hashida; J-Oisin Murphy. £340,260. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Jpn, G1SP-HK & UAE, 25-8-4-3, £3,537,997. The post Nassau Surprise As Deirdre Wins for Japan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fifth in the G2 Coventry S., Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) saw off TDN Rising Star Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) in tenacious fashion to secure the G2 Qatar Richmond S. at Goodwood on Thursday. Behind Threat in that June 18 Royal Ascot contest, where he hung under pressure, the 15-2 shot had first run on Cheveley Park’s 11-8 favourite here and after tracking the early pace took over passing the two-furlong pole and held him off to prevail by 3/4 of a length. “He was still very babyish at Ascot and lugged across the track for some reason, so Clive [Cox] put a crossed noseband on him today and it seemed to help him no end,” rider Adam Kirby commented. “I didn’t feel I was going that quick on him, as he has a high cruising speed.” 1–GOLDEN HORDE (IRE), 126, c, 2, Lethal Force (Ire)–Entreat (GB), by Pivotal (GB). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (65,000 Ylg ’18 GOUKPR). O-AlMohamediya Racing; B-CN Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Clive Cox; J-Adam Kirby. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-0, £123,126. The post Lethal Force’s Golden Horde Wins the Richmond appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The catalogue for the Sept. 10 Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale, for which there are 167 yearlings catalogued, is online. Last year’s Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Sale has thus far turned out 16 winners this season, headed by black-type winners Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), Flippa The Strippa (Ire) (Outstrip {GB}) and Shadn (Ire) (No Nay Never). This year’s class features yearlings by the hot young sires of both Liberty Beach and Flippa The Strippa, as well as accomplished stallions like Dandy Man (Ire), Dark Angel (Ire), Farhh (GB), Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), Showcasing (GB) and Starspangledbanner (Aus). The 17 first-season sires represented include Awtaad (Ire), Belardo (Ire), New Bay (GB) and Twilight Son (GB). The catalogue includes 37 yearlings out of 2-year-old winning mares and 56 siblings to 2-year-old winners. All graduates are eligible for the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. The post Tattersalls Ascot Yearling Catalogue Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Friday of the Qatar Goodwood festival can mean only one thing. Shadwell’s flying machine Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) bids to follow where Tuesday’s star Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) led by landing a third edition of one of the meeting’s major prizes, this time the G2 King George Qatar S. over the furiously fast five furlongs he adores. In the form of his life this term, he took the G2 Temple S. at Haydock on May 25 before meeting his nemesis Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot on June 18. His two victories in this were achieved with a cumulative margin of 6 1/4 lengths and it is difficult to envisage anything other than another procession. “It would be an achievement and to get the record would be great,” trainer Charlie Hills said. “I can’t see why it shouldn’t happen.” “Last year we were never 100% happy with Battaash–he took a long time to come in his coat and he was always a little a bit on edge in his training,” Hills added. “Ever since he has been back in training this year, he has been a different horse, a pleasure to train and to be around. I am not sure why, but Battaash does seem to love Goodwood and in his two previous runs there he has behaved very well. He is a tremendously fast horse–I think at Ascot he clocked 47 miles per hour between the three-furlong and two-furlong markers–and if we get fractions right, he will be a hard horse to beat. He does really come alive at Goodwood. He is quite small, quite nimble and maybe he does just handle the track better than some of those bigger sprinters.” Away from the shadow that Battaash casts over the contest, there is a fascinating runner in Kin Hung Kei and Qatar Racing’s 3-year-old Big Brothers Pride (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who issued his own bulletin to the sprinting world when scoring by four lengths in Chantilly’s G3 Prix Sigy over 5 1/2 furlongs on Apr. 13. More international flavour is added by the ex-Toby Edmonds-trained Australian import Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), who stumbled coming out of the gates when eighth behind Blue Point and Battaash at Ascot. “Sometimes these top sprinters can be difficult to handle, especially when they’ve travelled around the world, but she seems to have settled in really well,” her new trainer Martyn Meade said. “Her work has been very good and the Aquis [Farm Pty Ltd] boys are coming over, so we’re all pretty excited. It’s obviously a tough race, but if she can get a place we’ll be delighted.” The action starts with the G3 Theo Fennell Oak Tree S., with ‘TDN Rising Star’ Jubiloso (GB) (Shamardal) looking to build on her latest third in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot on June 21. Taxed by the mile there, Juddmonte’s relative of Frankel (GB) is back at a more suitable seven furlongs on another day when the breeding operation could shine. “She’s been working well at home,” Teddy Grimthorpe commented. “She ran really well at Ascot, but she was probably a little bit inexperienced there. She got a good run through and she came through travelling really well into the race, then just flattened out in the last part of it. She should have enough zip for seven furlongs and this race should suit her.” Later in the afternoon, Juddmonte has the hot favourite for the G3 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Glorious S. in Mirage Dancer (GB), the son of Frankel who was so impressive in this last year. “He really enjoys Goodwood and has come out of the Princess of Wales’s S., where he put in another solid run, really well,” Grimthorpe added. “The great saying ‘horses for courses’ really applies to him here.” Khalid Abdullah could also be celebrating after the G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. with the June 20 Britannia H. winner Biometric (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), the half-brother to the high-class Phoenix Tower (Chester House) out of Bionic (GB) (Zafonic), whose only race came at this meeting. “Ralph [Beckett] has given him some time off after Ascot, because he had quite a hard race that day,” Teddy Grimthorpe said of the homebred. “He is stepping up to pattern company for the first time and it will be different to running in handicaps. He has been a bit of a dark horse, but he keeps on doing it in his race.” Biometric renews rivalry with ‘TDN Rising Star’ Turgenev (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who he so memorably denied in the Britannia, wrecking Frankie Dettori’s attempt to go through the card as a result. Godolphin’s Art du Val (GB) (No Nay Never) is another intriguing contender coming off a win in the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick at Saint-Cloud on June 30 and trainer Charlie Appleby commented, “Art Du Val has progressed with each run and goes into this race on the back of a nice win in France. This is a step up in quality, but he has done little wrong so far and deserves a crack at a group race.” The post Bring On Battaash appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nathalie Albin-Jacobs, youngest daughter of the late Klaus J. Jacobs, has taken over as a chairman of Newsells Park Stud from Andreas Jacobs. Andreas Jacobs will remain on the board of directors. Albin-Jacobs said, “I’m very proud and excited to be able to continue the Jacobs family tradition at Newsells. I would like to thank Andreas for his great work and dedication over the last 10 years and I’m looking forward to working with him and the Newsells team to write the next chapter of this unique success story.” The post Albin-Jacobs Appointed Newsells Chairman appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last year’s Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy), who underwent colic surgery on Sunday hours after clearing quarantine for his debut season at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand, had a second operation on Thursday. A statement from Cambridge Stud read, “Roaring Lion had been making positive progress since his initial surgery last Saturday, but began to show symptoms of discomfort overnight. The symptoms were evaluated by the Cambridge Equine Hospital team, with some international consultation, and the decision was made to return to the operating table. “There were two adhesions from the first operation compromising a length of small intestine, and they were removed. Roaring Lion is currently in recovery, and the next 48 hours will be critical.” Roaring Lion won four successive Group 1s last year at three before retiring to Tweenhills Stud to stand his debut season. He will no longer stand this Southern Hemisphere season. The post Roaring Lion Has Second Colic Surgery 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 Aug. 7, 1982 Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course won by Silver Buck and it includes comment on Conquistador Cielo's Jim Dandy (G3) score. View the full article

The Anna Clement-trained Tavis Court kept his impressive form line intact on Thursday when winning the Sandford Brothers 1400 at Hawera. The son of Tavistock extended his record to two wins and three runner-up performances from five starts, but had to work hard to secure his second victory on the Heavy11 track. Jockey Lisa Allpress elected to press forward for the lead from their wide barrier (13) and the pair were able to take control of the race, going clear of their rivals at the turn of the ... View the full article

Minister for Racing Winston Peters has announced that 2019/20 applications for funding to improve racecourse safety are now open. The Racing Safety Development Fund has two funding rounds per year. The first funding round of 2019/20 is open for applications as of 31 July 2019. “While the Government is in the process of implementing reforms to revitalise the racing industry, health and safety will always be of the upmost importance” Peters said. All racing clubs and racing c... View the full article

New Zealand breeders will get their first opportunity to inspect Rich Hill Stud’s new season stallion Ace High for the first time at their Walton property (570 Landsdowne Road) on Sunday at 1pm. The dual Group One-winning son of High Chaparral will be one of four stallions on show. Rich Hill will also showcase Group One winner Vadamos, Group One performer Proisir, and Melbourne Cup hero Shocking. Rich Hill’s shuttle stallion Satono Aladdin is currently in quarantine.... View the full article

Savabeel has broken his own domestic stakes earnings record, narrowly missing becoming the first stallion to hit $4 million in New Zealand in a season, as he stretched his Grosvenor Award winning streak to five years running. The Waikato Stud stallion has enjoyed yet another banner season, becoming leading two-year-old sire for the first time, as well as sweeping the main New Zealand stallion awards for the fourth straight year. Savabeel's progeny earned $3,951,419 in New Zealand for the 2018-19... View the full article

Singapore trainer Alwin Tan may be going through a bad patch but if there was to be a silver lining, at least one horse is giving him something to look forward to – Revolution. The smart Unencumbered colt, who was sold out of Kilgravin Lodge's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run draft, was the former Singapore champion trainer’s only winner for the month of July. Tan actually did enjoy a healthy first 2019 quarter with a haul of 13 winners to sit in fifth place, a spot his yard has been... View the full article

A testing Riccarton track is trainer Neill Ridley's biggest concern ahead of an early season assignment for promising Makfi filly Far Site. A winner of two trials leading into her debut win at Ashburton last month, Far Site will tackle the El Doute At Stud Cashmere Plate (1200m) at Riccarton on Saturday. Ridley is pleased with his filly as she prepares to step out as a three-year-old for the first time but it's the prospect of a taxing run on a Heavy11 track that he believes might be her biggest... View the full article

Irad Ortiz Jr. notched the first five-win day by any jockey during the 2019 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, going 5-for-7 on his mounts July 31. View the full article

Trainer Doug O'Neill pulled off a noteworthy performance at Del Mar July 31 when he sent out five winners on the seven-race program, matching the track's record for most winners in a day that the O'Neill barn set July 29, 2015. View the full article