Wandering Eyes

In a brief call with the TDN Sunday morning, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer explained that the horses “we enter next week” at Del Mar will once again run under his name. This follows a judicial ruling Friday in the San Diego County Superior Court, granting Hollendorfer and co-plaintiffs the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT) a preliminary injunction on the action taken by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, barring the trainer from stabling and entering horses under his name at the facility. Del Mar took the action after The Stronach Group (TSG) ordered Hollendorfer to remove his horses from Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields after American Currency became the sixth Hollendorfer-trained horse fatally injured at both facilities during a six-month period. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) subsequently appeared to bar Hollendorfer from running horses at their facilities under his name, but opened its doors to his assistant, Don Chatlos, now training owner Larry Best’s horses in New York. Dan Ward assumed the role of trainer for his Southern California string at Del Mar. Nevertheless, no formal regulatory ruling has been metered out to Hollendorfer in California and New York. By Hollendorfer’s own estimates, his stable has shrunk by half through a variety of ways, including owners removing their horses and through the sale of those he himself owned. Hollendorfer’s reinstatement at Del Mar might have stemmed the leak, but “the owners that I have lost have not come back,” he said. “You can’t take 10 horses and transfer them to a trainer for two weeks or three weeks and then go to the guy and say, ‘Well, I’m giving them back to Hollendorfer.’ That’s not the way it works,” he explained. “Although they might not have actually wanted to do what they did, it would be hard for them to reverse their decision once they made it. If they would have stuck it out, they probably would have been okay, no matter what, but they didn’t, and that was their decision.” Far from being a settled issue, Del Mar could yet take the matter into arbitration. Hollendorfer said that Del Mar hasn’t indicated to him its plans. “I think that’s something the Del Mar Turf Club would have to decide–that’s up to them,” he said. According to attorney Darrell Vienna, representing the CTT, Del Mar’s legal representative, Chris Jaczko, raised in the court room Friday the issue of arbitration. “But my guess is, it wouldn’t take place before the meeting had ended anyway, so it may not be something that comes to fruition,” said Vienna, adding, “I’m hoping that it sets the groundwork for a settlement of these issues. Arbitration is when you can’t decide between yourselves.” The issue of arbitration isn’t the only hanging question mark. The CTT has filed two separate complaints with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), said Vienna, one July 12 concerning the actions taken by Del Mar against Hollendorfer, and the other July 24 concerning The Stronach Group’s (TSG) actions. According to Vienna, he has yet to respond to an email from the CHRB sent Friday, after the judge’s ruling, about the complaints. “And their response didn’t indicate that they had gone forth with the complaints at any point, even though it required an immediate action,” Vienna added. The legal specifics of the complaint lodged with the CHRB concerning TSG’s actions is slightly different to that concerning Del Mar, with TSG-related complaint focused around the issue of “breach of contract,” Vienna explained. “I’ve seen in the media lots of discussion about private property rights, but you can contract around private property rights.” Nevertheless, Vienna said that he hopes Friday’s ruling, in which the judge “basically found that the CTT and Mr. Hollendorfer would [likely] prevail in a full trial on merit,” will bring about broader resolution. “I’m hoping now, given that, there’s some impetus for Santa Anita, The Stronach Group, to think about these things a little more differently, and hopefully come to some mutually acceptable agreement, short of involvement of the CHRB or the courts.” According to Vienna, he wrote a letter July 24 to TSG chief operating officer, Tim Ritvo, in which he gave TSG 48 hours to reach a settlement with Hollendorfer and the CTT. “This is after everybody else has attempted it, now I’m involved. We really would like to settle this, but we’re not going to let it drag on,” he said. On Friday after the hearing, Hollendorfer’s attorney Drew Cuoto, explained that TSG has communicated with Hollendorfer about the possibility of the trainer and TSG chairman and president Belinda Stronach meeting to discuss the situation. “They want Jerry to go into a meeting alone with several TSG representatives without his council present, him against however many they choose to put into a room and we frankly don’t think that’s an appropriate way to handle it,” said Cuoto. TDN reached out to TSG, Del Mar and the CHRB for further clarification on some of these issues, but didn’t receive a direct response to the questions raised. The post Hollendorfer Update: Horses Back Under His Name ‘Next Week’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Dennis’ Moment (Tiznow) romped to a 19 1/4-length maiden victory at Ellis Park Saturday, the performance drew obvious comparisons to another Albaugh Family Stables runner who graduated impressively at the Henderson oval three years ago. Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway) carried the operation’s blue and white silks to a 10-length maiden score in August of 2016. He went on to add an 8 3/4-length win in the GIII Iroquois S. and came up just a neck short of champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) when second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. “It’s crossed my mind a lot today and last night,” Loutsch, partner in and racing manager for Albaugh Family Stables, told the Ellis Park communications team of the similarities between the two horses. “I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Well, that was kind of like Not This Time.’ Maybe this was more impressive what this horse did, just the way he did it and how he did it. But there are a lot of similarities.” While expectations were high for Not This Time, the talented colt suffered a soft-tissue injury in the Breeders’ Cup and never raced again. “In this game today, you just never know what’s going to happen,” Loutsch said. “At this time with Not This Time, we were pretty excited about him, and all in one race, it’s over. You’ve just got to just enjoy these special moments and then take it day by day and race by race, and hopefully he takes us where we want to go.” Dennis’ Moment, who was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’, was making his second start Saturday after clipping heels and unseating jockey Robby Albarado in his June 23 debut at Churchill. His devastating maiden victory impressed trainer Dale Romans, who also conditioned Not This Time. “He came out of the race really good,” Romans said by phone from Louisville. “I don’t know. It’s just incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it out of one of my first-time starters. He’s just freaky good. Romans continued, “I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of good horses. This horse has a lot of steps between now and doing what some of them have done, like [GI Preakness S. winner] Shackleford or [champion] Kitten’s Joy. But I’ll tell you what, as a 2-year-old, he’s trained as well as anyone I’ve ever been around.” As for where Dennis’ Moment starts next, Romans is keeping his options open. “I’m not even going to think about his next stop for a few days,” Romans said. “Let emotions die down. There are a lot of options.” Dennis’ Moment, a $400,000 purchase at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, is the namesake of Loutsch’s father-in-law, Des Moines entrepreneur and philanthropist Dennis Albaugh. “We had another Dennis about three years ago and he couldn’t break his maiden,” Loutsch said. “So we thought we better try another one. I kind of picked this one out at the Fasig-Tipton sale last August. I just love Tiznow and always wanted to own a Tiznow. I just fell in love with this horse last year, just how athletic-looking he was. Thank God Dennis allowed me to get him. That’s just one I had earmarked that I thought would be a special horse.” The post Albaugh Family Hoping for More This Time appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sound Machine (f, 2, Into Mischief–Ava Pie, by Distorted Humor) was sent off the well-fancied even-money choice in her Gulfstream debut Sunday and she did not disappoint, rolling home an eye-catching 10-length winner. Stuck to the outside hip of Min It to Win It (Big Drama) through early splits of :22.73 and :46.17, the $500,000 KEESEP yearling inhaled that rival turning for home, drew off with consummate ease and was the much-the-best winner over Awesome Indra (Awesome of Course), who out finished Min It to Win It. Final time for the 5 1/2-furlong event was 1:04.76. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $31,200. O-eFive Racing Thoroughbreds; B-Farm III (FL); T-Saffie Joseph Jr. The post Daughter of Into Mischief Airs at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Gosden expects Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire})’s route to ParisLongchamp and a third crack at the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October to become clearer in the coming days. The 5-year-old got the better of Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) by a neck in an epic battle for the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot on Saturday and saw her become only the third horse to win the midsummer showpiece twice. Enable holds entries in both the Aug. 21 G1 Juddmonte International S.–which is sponsored by her owner, Khalid Abdullah–and the Aug. 22 G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks at next month’s Ebor meeting at York. However, Gosden is unsure whether to plot a direct course to France, as the daughter of Nathaniel attempts to become the first three-time Arc winner on Oct. 6. He told Racing TV’s Luck on Sunday programme: “She will tell us–she’s very expressive. She’ll tell us what she wants to do. She got back and ate all her feed up. She seems in good order this [Sunday] morning. Mr. [Frankie] Dettori came round and looked pretty tired actually–more tired than her.” Abdullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe was in Deauville on Sunday, where he told Sky Sports Racing, “I think all being well we’d certainly look at York, both the Juddmonte and the Yorkshire Oaks, and see how she is and how she is in the next few weeks. It’s exactly three weeks, but that having been said it’s just over five weeks [after York] to the Arc, so the lead-up is almost perfect.” The post Enable Exits King George Well appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Vasilika, the $40,000 claim that has turned into one of the top female turf runners in the country, worked six furlongs on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante Turf Course July 28 in her final work for the Aug. 3 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T) at the seaside oval. View the full article

Immediate Impact (f, 2, Into Mischief–Bubbler, by Distorted Humor), a half-sister to Champion 3-year-old colt Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song), lived up to her 2-5 billing, becoming a TDN Rising Star with an emphatic score at Del Mar Sunday. In front soon after the start, she allowed an eager Majestic Gigi (Artie Schiller) to overtake her momentarily while carving out a quarter in :22.21. Still hot on the heels of that rival leaving the backstretch, the Bob Baffert trainee was given her cue approaching the quarter pole, she scooted past the pacesetter with ease, and the outcome was never in question from there as she widened her advantage with every stride, scoring by open lengths. Nora’s Joy (Street Sense) outgunned Tacocat (Tale of the Cat) for second. Final time for the 5 1/2-furlong test was 1:04.72. O-Clearview Stables LLC; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert. The post Into Mischief Filly Gets Rising Star Nod at Del Mar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tax (Arch) and Tacitus (Tapit) have knocked heads in four consecutive starts, with Tacitus winning the GII Wood Memorial S. and finishing in front of Tax in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S., but Tax got the better of Tacitus by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s GII Jim Dandy S. Both horses emerged from the race well and appear headed to a fifth-straight meeting with both pointing to the GI Travers S. Aug. 24. “He came out well. He walked great, and looks good,” Tax’s trainer Danny Gargan said Sunday morning. “I’m really happy with how he came out of the race.” Tacitus stumbled badly and nearly went to his nose leaving the gate for the Jim Dandy, but trainer Bill Mott reported his charge suffered no ill effects from the eventful start. “We got lucky,” said Mott. “He’s good.” Focus will turn to older horses this coming weekend with the $1 million GI Whitney H. scheduled Aug. 3. The ever-popular Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}), a two-time G1 Dubai World Cup winner and the richest active horse in training, had his last major work before the race Sunday morning, going seven furlongs in 1:27.31 over the main track. Last seen finishing third in the GI Metropolitan H. at Belmont, Thunder Snow had exercise rider Walter Lynch up. “He’s worked well,” said Tommy Burns, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “Initially, [bin Suroor] wanted 1:28 so we got what we wanted. There was another horse working around the same time in front us, so that gave him something to aim at. I was pleased with that and once he went past that worker, he pulled up, which is what he would do if he was working with a lead horse back home.” Also targeting the Whitney is multiple graded stakes winner Vino Rosso (Curlin), who breezed Saturday over the Oklahoma track, getting four furlongs in :48.88. Vino Rosso’s last start was a victory in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita. “He’s doing excellent,” said conditioner Todd Pletcher. “He worked well yesterday and has come back good. All systems are go for the Whitney.” The post Sunday Notes from the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New and Improved (f, 3, Cairo Prince–High Style, by Giant’s Causeway) overcame a poor start to take her career bow at Saratoga Sunday afternoon. Sent off at 7-2 in the eight-furlong test, the Chad Brown runner was caught flat-footed at the start, spotting the field a few lengths. Unhurried through moderate early fractions, the $320,000 KEESEP yearling purchase launched her bid approaching the quarter pole, was several paths wide turning for home, passed horses through the lane and got up late en route to a deceptively easy 1 1/2-length score over the oncoming Pat Pat Pat (Real Solution). Confessing (Scat Daddy) was passed late and held on for third. Final time for the turf event was 1:36.85. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $54,000. O-Klaravich Stables Inc.; B-Sun Valley Farm (KY); T-Chad Brown. The post Cairo Prince Firster Overcomes Slow Start to Graduate at Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a repeat victory in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1), Imperial Hint will likely follow the same schedule as last year and point next to the Vosburgh Stakes (G1), a "Win and You're In" challenge race for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). View the full article

The magnificent duel fought between Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Saturday’s G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. was everything one could hope for, not least because the first four horses across the line in Britain’s premier weight-for-age race are all aged five. In racing, the biggest stars are the horses; and it is a problem for the sport if and when the best horses have careers so short that they do not have time to become household names. It is very encouraging that such a great race could be dominated by four horses each in his/her fourth season of racing. What was also encouraging was the sight of so many members of Prince Khalid Abdullah’s family in the winner’s enclosure, most notably with his son Prince Saud collecting the trophy. The Prince ranks as one of the great owner/breeders of this or any other age, having from the late 1970s onwards built up Juddmonte into a racing and breeding operation which arguably has given more pleasure to more race-goers than any other in the modern era. As with any great bloodstock enterprise, the issue of succession looms large after a while. Prince Khalid Abdullah is now in his early 80s and it has never been clear to the outside world whether his heirs will share the passion for the sport which has been Juddmonte’s driving force. On the evidence of Saturday, the desire to maintain Juddmonte in subsequent generations may well exist. Juddmonte, of course, is not racing’s only empire whose future is uncertain. The Royal Studs have been flourishing uninterruptedly under successive generations of the Royal Family since the future King Edward VII reinvigorated the royal connection with the Sport of Kings while still Prince of Wales during the 64-year reign (1837 to 1901) of his mother Queen Victoria, who showed no interest in the sport. Subsequently King Edward VII’s grandson King George VI was a true racing enthusiast; and the latter’s daughter Queen Elizabeth II has proved herself to be one of the most passionate owners in racing history. Worryingly, though, it has been hard to determine whether any of Her Majesty’s children or grandchildren will have the commitment to the sport required to maintain the Royal Studs at their current level. This month has been an encouraging one from this point of view. One of the debutants in a recent juvenile novices’ race at Newbury was the Ralph Beckett-trained Golden Cygnet (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), owned and bred by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Equally encouraging was the presence of Prince Andrew in the unsaddling enclosure after Enable’s great victory at Ascot, the Queen’s second son looking entirely at home in the middle of a great racing celebration. The Name’s Bond Without wishing to downplay the eminence of Concentric (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) or Crystal Star (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), the dams of Enable and Crystal Ocean, Broodmare of the Day on Saturday was surely Reg Bond’s 19-year-old mare Forever Bond (GB) (Danetime {Ire}). She came up with two good winners on Saturday afternoon, her 4-year-old son Rise Hall (GB) (Frankel {GB}) winning the Heath Court Hotel ‘Be Our Guest’ H. at Newmarket two hours before her 5-year-old daughter Ladies First (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}) took the Skybet Supporting New Beginnings British EBF Fillies’ H. at York. In general, breeders tend to stick within the same price-bracket when booking the nominations for their mares. Rise Hall and Ladies First, however, provide a perfect reminder that this is not always the case. Monsieur Bond’s stud fee when Ladies First was conceived in 2013 was £5,000; the cost the following year of the Frankel nomination which yielded Rise Hall was £125,000. However, while one would rarely see such a difference in status of a mare’s mates in consecutive seasons, each stallion was the obvious mate for the mare. Reg Bond, the delivery trucks of whose tyre business are a frequent sight on British roads, has enjoyed great success during the current century with horses trained mainly by Bryan Smart and Geoff Oldroyd. Forever Bond was trained for him by Smart but she was not one of his stars. She never raced but Monsieur Bond (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), her Bond-owned contemporary in Smart’s stable, did really well, winning six of his 23 starts including the Fortune S. at Epsom in 2003 and both the G3 Gladness S. at the Curragh and the G2 Duke Of York S. at York in 2004. Forever Bond came from a family packed with fast horses so clearly was worth retaining for stud despite her failure as a racehorse. Monsieur Bond was the obvious mate for her when Reg Bond retired him (initially to Whitsbury Manor Stud for five seasons and then to Norton Grove Stud) in 2005. The result of Forever Bond’s visit to Monsieur Bond during his first season was Forever’s Girl (GB), winner of six of her 41 races. (Forever Bond had been at stud for one year by this time, producing the seven-time winner Chosen Forever (GB) (Choisir {Aus})). Subsequent visits to Monsieur Bond in 2006 and ’07 yielded two superb sprinters: Hoof It (GB) and Ladies Are Forever (GB). The former became a folk hero when proving himself one of the fastest as well as one of the biggest horses in the land, winning 11 races headlined by a memorable wide-margin triumph under 10 stone in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood in 2011 for the redoubtable (part-)owner/trainer/jockey team of Lee Westwood, Mick Easterby and Kieren Fallon. The latter, trained by Oldroyd, scored eight times including, memorably, taking the G3 Summer S. over six furlongs at York in 2011, ’13 and ’14. Further visits to Monsieur Bond for Forever Bond were therefore a no-brainer, resulting not only in Ladies First (GB) (whose tally of victories currently stands at three) but also her current 3-year-old Airwaves (GB), who is trained like Rise Hall by Martyn Meade and who has won two of her four races to date. Forever Bond has, though, visited other stallions occasionally. She went to Misu Bond (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a dual listed winner who had been trained for Reg Bond by Bryan Smart, in his first season at Hedgeholme Stud in 2008. This mating resulted in seven-time winner Bop It (GB). And when the temptation to send this superb broodmare to an ‘outside’ stallion grew too strong to resist, which one better to choose than the mighty Frankel, whom she visited in his second season at Banstead Manor in 2014? The result was Rise Hall, who was entered in two yearling sales in 2016 (Tattersalls’ October and December Sales) but was withdrawn from both and who is now trained for Reg Bond by Martyn Meade. By winning a handicap on Saturday off a BHA rating of 96, Rise Hall looks sure shortly to become the third of Forever Bond’s offspring to attain a three-figure rating. Bargain ‘Buys’ Rise Hall is merely one of several recent good winners who were entered in yearling sales but were not sold. Two particularly promising examples have been Brunelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a winner on debut at Leopardstown, and Under The Stars (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) who took her record to two-from-two by landing the G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. at Ascot on Saturday. These two 2-year-old fillies, unlike Rise Hall, did fulfil their engagements at the yearling sales, but neither seemingly changed hands, even if officially they were sold. Bred by Cristina Patino’s Windflower Overseas Holdings, Brunelle was offered in arguably the least suitable yearling sale that could have been chosen for her: Tattersalls Ireland’s November Mixed National Hunt Sale at Fairyhouse last autumn, where she was knocked down to the BBA Ireland for €800. Trained by Ger Lyons, she remains in Mrs. Patino’s ownership and made a very taking winning debut in the red and yellow Anamoine Limited silks made famous by another Windflower-bred, Anamoine-raced filly, the mighty six-time Group/Grade 1 winner Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab). Following in Snow Fairy’s famous footsteps might be asking a bit much but one could not rule it out, particularly remembering that Snow Fairy herself was a similar BBA Ireland yearling ‘purchase’ for €1,800 at Fairyhouse in December 2008. Under The Stars has a similarly convoluted background. Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, she was offered by Houghton Bloodstock in Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Sale last autumn, when she was knocked down to her breeder for 6,000gns. That figure looks to have ludicrously under-valued her now that, trained by James Tate for Saeed Manana, she is an unbeaten Group 3 winner who is currently rated a 33-1 shot for next year’s G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas. Horan’s Heroes Under The Stars was one of two notable winners on Saturday to highlight shrewd purchases made by Paragon Bloodstock principal Jerry Horan. Under The Stars’s dam Jumeirah Palm Star (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was bought by Rabbah Bloodstock as a yearling at Tattersalls in 2010 for 72,000gns. She won two races when trained by Richard Hannon but last autumn her breeding record was standing at no winners from three foals of racing age and she was offered by Godolphin at Goffs November Sale, where Horan snapped her up for merely €1,000, in foal to Slade Power (Ire). That is looking a great buy now with her 2-year-old Under The Stars a Group 3 winner, her 3-year-old Creek Island (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) also a winner and Slade Power responsible for Europe’s leading 2-year-old filly Raffle Prize (Ire). Saturday afternoon’s card at Newcastle opened with the Kevin Ryan-trained Dandy’s Beano (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) recording her fourth victory by taking the Collingwood Taxi Insurance Fillies’ H. She is another good advertisement for Horan’s ability to spot a bargain: he bought her for €1,000 in Part II of the Tattersalls Ireland’s September Yearling Sale in 2016. She was subsequently sold again the following spring, fetching €20,000 at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale. A Heaven-sent Triumph There were a few tears of excitement shed at Ascot on Saturday when Enable and Crystal Ocean treated the crowd to their epic battle, but the feelings engendered by the comparebettingsites.com H., the concluding race at Chepstow on Friday evening, took emotion to a higher level still. The week had begun tragically with the death of popular English bloodstock identity Nicky Murray, co-proprietor along with her husband Chris of Whitwell Bloodstock and Hilborough Stud. Nicky Murray passed away after a gruelling nine-month battle against terminal illness, with one ray of sunshine in her final days coming with the victory at Chepstow earlier this month of her home-bred Mick Channon-trained 4-year-old filly No Near So Farhh (GB) (Farhh {GB}). Channon sent So Near So Farhh back to Chepstow on Friday and the filly did the right thing, taking her tally to four by carrying Nicky Murray’s colours to a poignant victory. If one believes that there are occasions when a little bit of help from above is forthcoming, then it is easy to feel that the wings of angels might have been providing So Near So Farhh with some extra impetus in the Welsh twilight on Friday evening. The post The Weekly Wrap: Our Hope For Years to Come appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Quip (Distorted Humor) will likely skip Saturday’s GI Whitney H. to instead target the Aug. 17 GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar, according to trainer Rodolphe Brisset. The bay won the Apr. 13 GII Oaklawn H. and missed by just a neck when second behind Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) in the June 15 GII Stephen Foster S. last time out. “Quip will breeze [Monday] and on Tuesday morning we’ll have to call the racing office to make sure everyone went in the [Whitney], the way it’s supposed to be,” Brisset said. “If one of the top contenders ends up not running we could look at the Whitney, too, but as of now we are leaning towards the Pacific Classic.” The post Quip Likely for Pacific Classic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin's multiple group 1 winner Thunder Snow returned to the Saratoga Race Course main track July 28 for his last major work heading into the Aug. 3 $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1). View the full article

It never really seemed that Del Mar’s heart was in its efforts from keeping Jerry Hollendorfer from racing at the current meet. This was not, after all, a person with a bad reputation, had done anything out of the ordinary when it came to violations or someone with a track record of breaking down an inordinate number of horses. He was a respected Hall of Fame trainer, had been around forever and helped fill many a race during his many years on the Southern California circuit. But Del Mar was caught in the crosshairs after what happened during the Santa Anita meet, where four Hollendorfer trainees had to be euthanized. It didn’t help that CNN did a hatchet job on Hollendorfer right before the fourth horse broke down. Making matters worse was that Del Mar was not far removed from where it, too, was the target of animal rights activists. Seventeen horses died at the 2016 Del Mar meet. Protestors were seen with signs that said “Racing to the Grave” and “Raced to Death at Del Mar.” Since that meet, Del Mar has had one of the best safety records in the sport. Del Mar officials never argued that Hollendorfer was a bad guy or that he was any more likely to break down a horse than any other trainer stabled at the tracks. They said he was a public relations risk, and their lawyer went so far as to call him “radioactive.” They weren’t wrong. If a Hollendorfer- trained horse broke down at Del Mar, the track would have taken a tremendous hit, to its brand, its reputation and, likely, to its bottom line. The animal rights crowd would have been apoplectic. Is Hollendorfer a trainer who pushes the envelope and takes unnecessary risks with his horses? Probably not. Did he just go through an incredibly unlucky period at an incredibly unlikely time? Quite possibly. He may have been nothing more than a convenient scapegoat. A San Diego Superior Court Judge ruled the public relations risk wasn’t a good enough reason to ban Hollendorfer, at least without any of the rights normally given to persons under the rules of due process. That doesn’t mean Hollendorfer is clear and free. A preliminary injunction only grants Hollendorfer time until the next steps can be taken in court. A status conference has been set for Oct. 25, well after the Del Mar summer meet is over. The judge’s opinion granting Hollendorfer the preliminary injunction was so strongly worded that he wrote: “Plaintiffs have also submitted sufficient evidence for the court to conclude they are likely to prevail on the merits of their claims.” The judge didn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for Del Mar to win this case and it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if Del Mar ultimately and quietly simply let the matter drop. Hollendorfer won, and you can argue that Del Mar did, too. With a judge ordering that the track must allow the Hall of Famer to race, the “radioactive PR risk” monkey was lifted from its back. What everyone wants is for Del Mar to have the safest meet in its history and, in particular, that no Hollendorfer- trained horse breaks down. But should a Hollendorfer horse break down, no one can blame Del Mar. The track tried to keep him out, but a judge wouldn’t let it do so. The protesters can leave their posts at Del Mar and camp out at 1100 Union Street, San Diego, California, the address of the San Diego Superior Court. And What About Santa Anita? Much of Hollendorfer’s complaint against Del Mar revolved around the fact that there was a contract in place between Del Mar and the California Thoroughbred Trainers in which Del Mar could not ban a CTT member in good standing without first offering that person a hearing before a mediator. According to Hollendorfer’s legal team, Del Mar refused to do so. According to CTT lawyer Darrell Vienna, the same agreement is in place at Santa Anita, and that could open the doors for Santa Anita to also reinstate Hollendorfer. “You never know what the courts are going to do, but this certainly supports the notion that we would prevail on the same basis in LA County Superior Court that we did in the San Diego court,” Vienna said. But Vienna said that, when it comes to Santa Anita, he hopes the matter will be resolved without taking it to the courts. “There are some other step where we’d like to give Santa Anita a chance to come to their senses,” he said. “It’s not about me getting him reinstated at Santa Anita,” Vienna continued. “I’m hopeful that Santa Anita recognizes that it’s probably in the best interests of everyone–racing, the CTT, their association, Mr. Hollendorfer–if we could come to a resolution that’s mutually best for everyone. I’d like to see everyone, with cool heads, look at all the circumstances and make a determination about separating fact from fiction. For instance, if you could chose any six-month period that you wanted from Mr. Hollendorfer’s long and illustrious career, I’m sure you can find a number of six-month segments were there wasn’t a single injury to any of his horses. Santa Anita made its statement. They focused the attack on the individuals rather than the litany of circumstances that were involved, including the part that they played. When people agree on things, that’s the easiest way to go. The courts are the last place to go and sometimes when you leave no one is happy.” Marcus Vitali’s Future? The case of trainer Marcus Vitali may answer a lot of questions about whether or not racing is truly intent on making the sport as safe and as clean as possible. As first reported by the DRF’s Matt Hegarty, Vitali was suspended one year and fined $2,500 for “interfering with an impending investigation.” Vitali asked for a stay of his suspension, which was denied by Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission Executive Director John Wayne, who told the Racing Biz that Vitali “is a breach of integrity.” According to reports, a Delaware Commission investigator entered the dorm room of one of Vitali’s employees on an unrelated matter when Vitali pushed his way past security, grabbed a package that was in bubble wrap and took off running with it. The package was never located and Vitali has claimed it contained marijuana. However, veterinarian Don Johnson has testified that Vitali had given him a reddish -brown liquid and asked him to administer it to a horse and he refused to do so. It wasn’t the first time Vitali had run afoul of authorities. According to the Paulick Report, Vitali has been charged with numerous medication violations in Florida and Vitali relinquished his license before Florida authorities could take action against him for seven additional alleged medication violations from 2015 through 2017. Yet, Vitali never missed a beat. From 2014 on, he has started at least 29 horse every year and in 2018 saddled 334 runners. After his problems in Florida, Vitali initially moved his horses to trainer Allan Hunter, but it was only a matter of time until his license was reinstated. Vitali’s case was all too typical. Trainer gets in trouble. Lawyer’s up. Gets slapped on the wrist. Returns to racing as if nothing ever happened. We now are looking at a trainer who has multiple violations on his record, has been called a “breach of integrity” by the Delaware Racing Commissioner and, if not able to out foot Delaware racing investigators, who knows what would have been found in that package? Does this person deserve a third chance? Should he be allowed to return to the racetrack? Only a few years ago, he wouldn’t just have been given a third chance, he might have been given a fourth, fifth, sixth chance. How much has racing changed and will it finally tell those who continue to break the rules that they are no longer welcome on the racetracks of America? How this Vitali case plays out may go a long way toward answering that question. The post The Week in Review: With Hollendorfer’s Preliminary Injunction, Del Mar May Also be a Winner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino joined with racetracks across the country Saturday in “PDJF Racing Across America,” with activities throughout the evening dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Indiana Grand jockeys participated in several activities throughout the night, including a jockey foot race from the starting gate, a tug of war with the track maintenance crew and a dunk tank. Racing fans purchased used racehorse shoes provided by paddock blacksmith Buddy Rickly and peppermints were sold to feed to the pony horses between several races during the popular “Peppermints for Ponies” with all proceeds going to PDJF. The Indiana HBPA donated $10,000 to PDJF in a special presentation between races and trainer Genaro Garcia and owner Bruce Murphy made a $300 donation to the cause. “The PDJF is so important to our industry, and I’m really glad we can participate in this national event,” said Rodney Prescott, Indiana’s all-time leading jockey. “It’s always a lot of fun and the jockeys really enjoy the entire night.” The post Indiana Grand Joins in PDJF Across America appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Karl Burke's star filly Laurens landed a super sixth group 1 success with a dominant display in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville July 28. View the full article

2018 Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy–Vionnet, by Street Sense) is recovering from colic surgery at Cambridge Equine Veterinary Hospital in New Zealand, Cambridge Stud announced early Sunday morning. The Qatar Racing colourbearer, who has been withdrawn from service for the entirety of the Southern Hemisphere covering season as a result, was due to stand his first season at the historic nursery for NZ$35,000 + GST. Shuttling from his Northern Hemisphere base of Tweenhills Stud, the four-time Group 1 winner had just cleared quarantine at 6 a.m. local time Sunday morning and had been enjoying some time in his paddock when his symptoms began which resulted in emergency surgery. “We want to act in the best interests of Sheikh Fahad and our shareholders,” said Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre in a statement. “Following major surgery, we feel it is appropriate to withdraw the horse from service with all shareholders being fully refunded. Our best-case scenario is that Roaring Lion makes a full recovery and can be returned safely to the U.K. While everyone at Cambridge Stud is shattered, we feel the obligation to Sheikh Fahad, David Redvers [of Tweenhills] and our shareholders is important. It is a massive blow to lose Roaring Lion like this, but his ongoing welfare is now our prime concern.” Out of GI Rodeo Drive S. third Vionnet, the English/Irish highweight is currently recovering and his prognosis has already improved since the initial assessment. “I had a fairly upbeat report from the Plumptres, which was heartening, the critical time is obviously the first 48 hours after an operation like this,” Tweenhills Stud and Qatar Racing’s Racing Manager David Redvers told Racing Post on his way to New Zealand. “He had a small intestine colic–it was a very rare case, a freak event really–and without going into too many specifics, the reason he’s alive now is because they spotted it immediately. It happened at Cambridge Stud, our stallion man Reece Sutcliffe was out there with the horse and immediately knew something was wrong and they rushed him straight into Cambridge Hospital. “Normally with a small intestine, the horse is dead very quickly if it’s not operated on immediately because you can’t very successfully reset, i.e. cut out, sections of the small intestine. Because they were able to get him in and get the very best care, they had the best experts in colic surgery from both the major practices in Cambridge on site working on the horse. They’ve managed to untwist the section of gut that was causing the problem, repair a small hole, and flush everything through.” Added Redvers to Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday, “As long as it all still works, which we won’t really discover for 48 hours–we’re 24 hours in now–then we’re hopeful,” he said. “Obviously if he colics again I’m afraid the news will be very bad. So we’re all on tenterhooks. It’s obviously tough for everybody, it just reminds us all that horses are living creatures and it reminds me particularly of the pain stable staff must feel when they lose their loved and cherished horses.” The post Roaring Lion Recovering From Colic Surgery in NZ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

She may not have the level of adoration or the nine Group 1s of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), but Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was advertising her own prowess at that level when making it an incredible six on Sunday in Deauville’s G1 Prix Rothschild. Successful in Last year’s G1 Prix Saint-Alary and G1 Prix de Diane, the favourite was sent on to make it a test and use her stride by PJ McDonald and led the main group racing up the centre. In front overall approaching the final three furlongs as Beshaayir (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) faded out of contention towards the stand’s side, she was clear as last year’s winner With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Obligate (GB) (Frankel {GB}) found their stride late and hit the line with a half length to spare over the former, with Obligate 1 1/2 lengths away in third. Sunday, Deauville, France PRIX ROTHSCHILD-G1, €300,000, Deauville, 7-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:36.71, g/s. 1–LAURENS (FR), 129, f, 4, by Siyouni (Fr) 1st Dam: Recambe (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire) 2nd Dam: Razana (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire) 3rd Dam: Raysiya (Ire), by Cure the Blues (£220,000 Ylg ’16 GOUKPR). O-John Dance; B-Bloodstock Agency Ltd (FR); T-Karl Burke; J-P J McDonald. €171,420. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng & G1SW-Ire, 14-8-3-0, €1,935,586. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–With You (GB), 128, f, 4, Dansili (GB)–In Clover (GB), by Inchinor (GB). O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Freddy Head. €68,580. 3–Obligate (GB), 122, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Responsible (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Pascal Bary. €34,290. Margins: HF, 1HF, 3. Odds: 1.80, 5.70, 4.60. Also Ran: Joplin (Ger), East (GB), Move Swiftly (GB), Qabala, Magical Dreamer (Ire), Beshaayir (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post Laurens Makes It Six Group 1s In the Rothschild appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Oaks winning filly Princess Jenni has thrived during her winter spell in the sun in Queensland and has began shedding the kilograms in the prelude to her spring campaign. Trainer David Brideoake said the Group One-winning New Zealand-bred filly returned to his stable at Mornington last week in magnificent order. Princess Jenni won the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville in early May while at her most recent outing she finished sixth to Winning Ways in the Queensland Oaks on June 1. Brideoake said... View the full article

Cambridge Stud suffered a devastating blow on Saturday morning when freshman sire Roaring Lion was struck down with a bout of colic. The Cartier Champion three-year-old and UK Horse of the Year was admitted to Cambridge Equine Veterinary Hospital early Saturday morning for colic surgery. Released from quarantine at 6.00am on Saturday, he had spent 15 minutes in his paddock at Cambridge Stud when symptoms of colic were noted. He was transferred to Cambridge Equine Hospital immediatel... View the full article

Despite initial reluctance to load into the gate July 27, Hronis Racing's Cistron picked up the first grade 1 win of his career in the $300,702 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. View the full article

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have taken out their third straight National Trainers Premiership title and their fourth in the past five years as the current racing season comes to its conclusion. The duo sits on 112 wins with just one raceday left in the season, 14 victories clear of their nearest rival, Matamata’s Jamie Richards. Whilst their latest tally is well shy of the record 142 wins they put on the board in 2017/18, amongst this season’s achievements is a record... View the full article

Tax parted the murky waters of the 2019 sophomore season and emerged victorious July 27 in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

Class stayer (Sir) Charles Road flew to Sydney over the weekend as he prepares to kick off a spring campaign that will hopefully culminate in a tilt at the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November. Prepared by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, the rising six-year-old will forego the nominations he held for the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) during the Hastings Spring Carnival in favour of his Australian mission that will commence over 1400m at Randwick on Augus... View the full article

A stunning victory in Saturday’s Macau Derby (1800m) by kiwi-bred galloper Sacred Capital continued a run of success in the race for well-known Raffles Farm owner Dato Yap Kin San. Dato Yap, who purchased the Cambridge-based breeding and racing operation in 2008, has dominated the Macau feature in recent times having won the race in conjunction with his Macau racing partner Chen Ching Lung three times in the past five years. The Alfonso in 2015 and Sacred Man in 2017 provided victories for th... View the full article