Wandering Eyes

Forgotten Hero stayed undefeated with a prominent effort under Mike Luzzi to win the $150,000 New York Stallion Series Fifth Avenue division for juvenile fillies Dec. 15 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Stonestreet Stables' Dream Pauline took the slop in stride Dec. 15 and gamely held off rival Stormy Embrace to win the $100,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

After struggling to regain the winning form that defined her juvenile campaign, Team Valor International's Capla Temptress scored her first stakes win of the year in the $100,000 My Charmer (G3T) Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

While Audible (Into Mischief) seemed all but unbeatable in Saturday’s GIII Harlan’s Holiday S., returning to the Gulfstream Park strip over which he romped in both the GII Holy Bull S. and GI Florida Derby earlier this term, it was another sophomore–Sir Anthony (Mineshaft)–who stole the show. Sir Anthony belied 35-1 odds when annexing Arlington’s Bruce D. Memorial S. in August, and resurfaced in a state-bred allowance at Hawthorne Oct. 5, getting the job done by a head. The chestnut added another Hawthorne score Nov. 1, and prepped for this class hike with a :49 1/5 (5/13) move over the local strip Dec. 11. Last away as the 25-1 fourth choice in the field of six, Sir Anthony was guided sharply to the fence by pilot Brian Hernandez Jr. into the first turn. He traveled just inside the heavy favorite–who always seemed to be fighting with the wet track–down the backside, but still had his work cut out for him heading for home. Scraping paint as Audible took the overland route into the straight, Sir Anthony found another gear with the help from a few right handers, and he kept finding to stiff-arm Audible in the late stages and prevail by a half-length. According to Trakus data, Sir Anthony covered 44 ft. (approximately 5 1/4 lengths) fewer than Audible. Apostle (Medaglia d’Oro), a $900,000 OBS March pick-up last year, rounded out the all-sophomore trifecta. Saturday, Gulfstream Park HARLAN’S HOLIDAY S.-GIII, $100,000, Gulfstream, 12-15, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:45.14, sy. 1–SIR ANTHONY, 118, r, 3, by Mineshaft 1st Dam: Mourette (MSP, $176,271), by Smart Strike 2nd Dam: Amourette, by El Gran Senor 3rd Dam: Chase the Dream, by Sir Ivor 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Richard Otto Stables, Inc. (IL); T-Anthony Mitchell; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $61,380. Lifetime Record: 14-5-2-2, $202,220. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Audible, 116, c, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Devil Bel, by Gilded Time. ($175,000 Ylg ’16 SARAUG; $500,000 2yo ’17 FTFMAR). O-China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing, WinStar Farm; B-Oak Bluff Stables, LLC (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $19,800. 3–Apostle, 114, c, 3, Medaglia d’Oro–Apt, by A.P. Indy. ($525,000 RNA Ylg ’16 FTSAUG; $900,000 2yo ’17 OBSMAR). O-Karl & Cathi Glassman; B-Ben P. Walden, Jr. & Larry Taylor (KY); T-Edward Plesa, Jr. $9,900. Margins: HF, 1, NK. Odds: 25.90, 0.10, 20.30. Also Ran: Village King (Arg), Sightforsoreeyes, Minute Madness. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. “He’s been a promising young colt who took a while to figure it out, but now that he’s figured it out who knows where we go from here,” winning trainer Anthony Mitchell said. “He ran a couple of races where it was like, ‘What’s going on?’ It just didn’t make sense, but ever since he won the [Bruce D. Memorial] at Arlington he’s just got progressively better and better. The owner, I’m so delighted for. He bred the horse and he’s been with me for a very long time and we’ve enjoyed a lot of success. He predominately breeds Illinois-breds and we’ve done pretty good with them. But going ahead and beating the likes of Audible–that’s huge. I mean, I can’t put words to that.” Mitchell and owner/breeder Richard Otto have also campaigned the likes of 2003 GIII TCA S. winner Summer Mis (Summer Squall) and 2004 GIII Arlington Breeders’ Cup Oaks heroine Lovely Afternoon (Afternoon Deelites) together. Audible was prepping for next month’s $9-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, but left his connections scratching their heads a bit. “He never really seemed like he fired,” said conditioner Todd Pletcher. “You hate to use the track as an excuse, but obviously it rained quite a bit and they sealed the track. [Rider] Javier [Castellano] said up the backside it was pretty uneven; there were dry spots and wet spots. It seemed like he was just never really taking him there handing the track the way we would have hoped. I think the track has changed since the previous meet. They made some adjustments to it and I think it’s still settling in a little bit. I don’t think he really handled it. We didn’t know what everyone else was going to do. We just let Javier ride his race, but he was never really taking him. He had to kind of ask him to get into every position he tried to.” Pedigree Notes: Sir Anthony is the 20th graded stakes winner for his sire Mineshaft. Richard Otto purchased second dam Amourette (El Gran Senor) for $30,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 1997. The eventual multiple stakes winner has also produced SW Alette (Lemon Drop Kid) and GSP Lemonade Kid (Lemon Drop Kid). MSP dam Mourette was a $180,000 KEENOV ’15 buyback before selling for $85,000 a year later. Mourette’s 2-year-old colt Cambre (Arch) finished ninth in his rained-off Tampa debut Saturday. Mourette produced a Smiling Tiger filly Jan. 16 before being bred back to Honor Code. View the full article

Dorothy Matz's homebred Tequilita halted an eight-race losing streak dating back to the fall of 2017 when she overtook pacesetter Tapa Tapa Tapa inside the final eighth to win the $100,000 Rampart Stakes (G3) going eight furlongs at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Richard Otto Stables' Sir Anthony left the winner's circle with a spring in his step and his head held high after pulling off an upset win in the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star’ Dream Pauline (f, 3, Tapit–Dream Rush, by Wild Rush), pre-entered in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, made the grade with a narrow win in Saturday’s GIII Sugar Swirl S. at Gulfstream Park. The 8-5 favorite chased on the outside in second through an opening quarter in :22.73. She vied for command at the top of the stretch, kicked for home with the lead and dug down to hold off the late rush of Stormy Embrace (Circular Quay) by a neck. Pacific Gale (Flat Out) was third. The final time for six furlongs over the sloppy sealed track was 1:11.10. Dream Pauline won her first two career starts before finishing third in her stakes debut in Churchill’s Dream Supreme S. Nov. 4. The daughter of MGISW Dream Rush is a half-sister to GISW Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy). Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1. O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (Ky); T-Kiaran McLaughlin. View the full article

Amerman Racing's Award Winner, a half brother to grade 1 winner Oscar Performance and grade 3 winner Oscar Nominated, broke his maiden in style Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Margoth’s multiple graded-stakes winner Gunnevera (Dialed In) breezed over Gulfstream Park West’s main track Saturday morning in preparation for a tilt at the Jan. 26 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. It was the second work for the 4-year-old since finishing second behind Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 3. Both have come with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, who was aboard in the Classic and will return aboard in the Pegasus. “Everything went very good,” trainer Antonio Sano confirmed. “He went five furlongs in 1:01.2, 1:01.3. It was a very good work.” Gunnevera, third behind Horse of the Year Gun Runner in this year’s Pegasus, is expected to work again Saturday morning. “I am so happy with my horse,” Sano said. “He worked very good and he came back very fresh and looked very good.” Winner of the GII Saratoga Special S. at two, the chestnut won last season’s Gulfstream’s GII Fountain of Youth S. ahead of a third-place effort behind Audible (Into Mischief) in the GI Florida Derby. Third in the GI Kentucky Derby, Audible finished runner up in Saturday’s Harlan’s Holiday S. He’s also been listed as a possible candidate for the Pegasus. View the full article

Richard Otto Stables' Sir Anthony left the winner's circle with a spring in his step and his head held high after pulling off an upset win in the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

There are probably not two places on the planet more different than scruffy Laredo, Texas and charming and classy Deauville, France, but Cash Asmussen is equally comfortable in both environments. That’s because they share a common element-the Thoroughbred race horse. Asmussen retired from riding in 2001 and most of his time since has been spent at the El Primero Training Center in Laredo. It was founded by his father, Keith, a former Quarter Horse jockey who is now known as one of the best in the business when it comes to breaking yearlings. Cash, now 56, is a partner in the overall business, but trains his own horses at El Primero under the business name Cashmark Farm. “I do like this,” he said. “I come from a family of great horsemen, I passed through the hands of more great horsemen through my career thanks to the support of owners and trainers of so many great race horses. I had the luxury to ride for these people and watch how they prepared these horses and point them in the direction where they should excel. That’s what a trainer’s job is. What they’re assigned to do is to allow these great athletes to get into [a] position to show the world the talents God gave them.” Though it has been many years since he rode in Europe and he now lives about 5,000 miles from Longchamp, Asmussen’s memories of his years there are fresh in his mind. He’s proud of his long list of accomplishments, but, perhaps, most proud of the fact he believes he forever changed the way European riders sat on a horse. They saw Asmussen’s more aerodynamic style, saw that it worked, and were forced to adapt. Either that or let him beat them more often than not. “I hope that any professional that rode with me had respect for the way I rode and the way my horses performed,” he said. “I hoped they looked over and had an open enough mind and enough passion that they thought, ‘I need to incorporate some of what that guy is doing in the way I ride.'” Asmussen appeared to be well on his way to becoming a major star in the U.S., where he was the champion apprentice in 1979. In 1982, he received an offer from trainer Francois Boutin and Stavros Niarchos to come to France to be the stable’s top rider. “Basically, the proposal to me was if you want to ride the greatest race horses in the world and be compensated equivalently, we would like to offer you a position to ride 250 of the best bred race horses that are on this planet,” Asmussen said. “I was 20 years old. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, being in the top 10 in America and being that I worked myself into a spot where I was leading rider in New York two years in a row and was working my way toward a position where I was going to ride for some of the top stables in the U.S. and the top horses. It wasn’t an easy decision to make until I went to France and saw the operation. To go to the team of Francois Boutin and Stavros Niarchos, it was an opportunity of a lifetime and it wasn’t an opportunity that was going to be around for long and it wasn’t an opportunity that was going to come up again.” He lists becoming the first American to be named France’s champion rider, something he did five times, as among his proudest accomplishments. There’s also the win in the 1991 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe aboard Suave Dancer, a horse who was broken at his father’s farm. “I’ll also never forget winning the [G1] Prix de Diane in 1994 on East of the Moon while her trainer, Mr. Boutin, was in the hospital fighting for his life,” he said. “She also avenged the defeat of her mother, Miesque, in that same race. That was quite a memorable day.” He had riding stints in Ireland and England, but France was his primary home for the 18 years he was in Europe. Weight was never a major issue, but he said he had grown homesick and wanted his children to go to just one school. They would go to school in France during the racing season and then in Texas when Asmussen returned home for the winter. Just 39 and still very much on top of his game, he decided to retire. “It was a great run,” he said. “Stavros Niarchos inviting me to Europe changed my life. I was given an education that I never could have paid for.” He also credits Boutin and Niarchos for accepting that the then- young American was going to ride his way and said he would never adapt to the French style. He watches races from Europe now and sees that most jockeys no longer look like they’re jumping up and down on a pogo stick. It’s become hard to distinguish between the European and American styles, and he believes he’s a big reason why. He didn’t ride that way to gain style points, but because he felt it was the best way to get the most out of a horse. “I brought a style of riding to France that was totally foreign,” he said. “I was a foreigner bringing a foreign riding style to a new country. In 1651, two nobleman raced two horses against each other and they called that the first ever horse race in France. From that day forward, they had never ridden horses in some of the greatest races in the world with the kind of style I brought over. I knew there was going to be enormous criticism when I got there. I was also riding for one of the biggest stables in France and you get criticized for taking a position that a French jockey could have occupied. “I am so thankful for my supporters, like the Niarchos family, Francois Boutin, Jean-Claude Rouget, and many others who supported me during a time I was bringing transition to a country that hadn’t changed since 1651. I was bringing something new and the only way I was going to confirm that it was a better way was to win. I wanted to show that my style allowed my partner to show his talents. The way to do that is be one with the horse instead of a foreign object on his back. When the rider and the horse become one it is poetry. I felt that the aerodynamic style, my seat on a horse, which was taught to me by my father, is what allowed a horse to show what he is capable of doing. I was there to manage his energy.” From 2008 through 2014, Asmussen trained in the U.S. His younger brother, Steve, is a Hall of Fame trainer who is respected as one of the best in the business. Cash won 158 races and had a high winning percentage (17%), but mainly had cheap horses and never won any major races. He decided to give that up and focus solely on working at his family’s farm breaking yearlings. Many of the horses he breaks are sent to his brother for their racing careers. He still romanticizes about the greatness found in the truly special horses and likes being involved in the development of their careers. A horse could win a Group or Grade I race two or three years after last being handled by Asmussen. That doesn’t lessen the thrill. “From the breeder to the groom, the trainer, the jockey, the owner, the public, this is what a great race horse does,” he said. “They’re all invested in this beautiful God given work of art and when he excels and when he does things people are unaware that he is capable of doing, that horse takes them places they can’t go without him or her. The horse allows them to travel to these places. This is what creates the following, the love affair, why kings give castles for great horses. This is why people follow them around the world. When people ask how could someone pay so much for a horse they only ask because they’ve never experienced the feeling.” View the full article

Applications are now open for the Retired Racehorse Project’s 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. Applications will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2019, and accepted trainers will be announced Feb. 1, 2019. For complete details or to apply, visit https://tbmakeover.org/. View the full article

The Saturday racecard at Deauville was canceled after the second race at the request of the jockeys following bad weather conditions, according to the Jour de Galop. The jockeys, trainers and officials at France Galop met and the decision was made 45 minutes later. Gerald Hovelacque, a committee member at France Galop, said, “We made the decision to cancel the rest of the meeting given the weather conditions and at the request of the jockeys. The effect of the wind is such that they are freezing on horseback. There is icy rain on their goggles and they are not in control of their horse. The security issues mean that we have to cancel the rest of the meeting. The trainers have a different point of view, but neither they nor the officials ride the horses.” The remaining seven races, including the two listed races, have been rescheduled for Sunday, with a 9:50 a.m. start time. View the full article

13:20 Carlisle Nigel Twiston-Davies has sent six hurdlers to Carlisle in the last three years and has emerged with five winners for an 83% winning strike rate. He looks to have a great chance of enhancing that record even further today with One For Rosie who beat a subsequent winner (Glen Forsa) in commanding fashion last […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Sunday 16th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

The duo of John Size and Joao Moreira threaten to stand in the way of a host of potential four-year-old series stars with the talented Conte out to build on his imposing winning record. Having won five from six starts in his first season in Hong Kong, Size took a cautious approach with the Starcraft gelding going into this term, only racing for the first time last month. The five-year-old did all but win in his first-up attempt, where he raced up on the speed after jumping from barrier 14... View the full article

Jockey Karis Teetan admits he is jumping off a smart horse in Multimillion but is happy to roll the dice on the untested Meridian Genius in a race which will showcase Hong Kong’s next generation of sprinters. Teetan has partnered the Tony Cruz-trained Multimillion to a win and a second in his two starts, but will trying to get the four-year-old beaten on Sunday. Having only had one trial in his career, Teetan concedes he is stepping into the unknown with Meridian Genius, but his ability... View the full article

St. Joe Bay got on the right side of a photo finish for the first time in a long time Dec. 14 at Los Alamitos Race Course. View the full article

With the Longines Hong Kong International Races now firmly in the rear-view, much of the focus for the next three months of the racing season will turn to the 4-Year-Old Classic series. Four gallopers, imported from various parts of the racing world, will try to stake their claims to those races when they go postward in Sunday’s Lukfook Jewellery H., a Class 2 event for horses rated 105-80 over 1400 metres. The gold-and-red silks of owner Pan Sutong were carried by Akeed Mofeed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to success in the 2013 Hong Kong Derby, a race in which Mr Pan’s late Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie dei Colori {GB}) was a very good third. The Richard Gibson-trained Gold Chest (War Front) was perfect in two European appearances for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam when raced as Naval Intelligence, winning a Newmarket maiden at first asking in late July before belying odds of 33-1 to scoop the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. a fortnight later. The full-brother to US Grade I winner Fog of War just missed in a Dec. 4 barrier trial over the Sha Tin all-weather (video) and has the full confidence of jockey Alexis Badel. “He’s a talented horse and he’s a lovely ride,” the Frenchman said. “He doesn’t do too much in the morning so I cannot wait to see how he runs at Sha Tin on Sunday. The trial was good and I’m sure he’s better on the turf, he looks like he will enjoy good going.” Just behind Gold Crest in that trial was Furore (NZ) (Pierro {Aus}), who won his first four outings in Australia for Kris Lees and was promoted to third in the G1 Rosehill Guineas. The half-brother to former Hong Kong sprint standout Blizzard (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}), is trained by Frankie Lor. The second-season conditioner, who saddled two winners at last week’s international meeting, also sends out Heavenly Thought (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}), winner for trainer Darren Weir of the G3 Grand Prix S. at Doomben last May ahead of a runner-up effort to now-stablemate Dark Dream (Aus) (All American {Aus}) in the G1 Queensland Derby the following month. The latter made a favourable impression in his Hong Kong bow Dec. 9, finishing a close third in a Class 2 over 1600m. King of Hearts (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) won five from seven in Europe for trainer William Haggas as Society Power, capping that portion of his career with a runner-up effort to future GI Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot in June. Now trained by Tony Cruz, the bay was fifth in a Nov. 30 trial in which G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint 1-2 finishers Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and D B Pin (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) were third and second, respectively. “He comes here with a bit of form and I think there’s something to work on,” his jockey Karis Teetan commented. “He has that quality and he’s definitely going to improve.” Post time for the ninth race on the Sunday program is 4:40 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. GMT). Click here for the HKJC form guide. View the full article

Longtime Thoroughbred owner Lawrence E. Crovo died Nov. 2 in Palm Beach, Florida, the TDN has learned. He was 76 years old. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Crovo originally trained and later owned horses in partnership with close friends William M. Allen, the owner of Wild Again, and Bert Sonnier. Crovo also owned Dunhill Stud (now Signature Stallions, in Ocala, FL) with partners Bill Allen, Bob Candow and Bert Sonnier. He is survived by his wife Dianne, children Charles Crovo and M. Delacy Crovo, and numerous grandchildren. View the full article

With synchronized watches in place, even Batman and Robin would be proud of the efforts by a number of night tracks to coordinate their post times, avoid racing on top of one another, and prevent extended periods of inaction. View the full article

Twelve of the most memorable events on and off the racetrack are up for the 2018 NTRA Moment of the Year, voting for which can be conducted here. The winning selection will be announced during the Eclipse Award ceremonies to be held Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, at Gulfstream Park. Fans are permitted to vote for more than one moment, but there is a limit of one vote per moment for each registered email or Twitter account. Subsequent votes will be disallowed. The deadline for voting is Jan. 16, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. ET. View the full article

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI)’s budget for 2019, approved at its Board meeting Monday, Dec. 10, prioritises racecourse capital development, prizemoney, integrity and equine welfare, industry training and education, broadening the interest of the sport, and point-to-points. Prizemoney will rise by €2.9 million, to a figure of €66.1 million, with the additional commitment spread across some of Ireland’s big racing festivals as well as increases to feature races at 20 of Ireland’s Grade 2 and Grade 3 racetracks. The opening of the redeveloped Curragh Racecourse will see prizemoney increases for some of its feature races in 2019. Equine welfare and employee development are two priorities in the budget, with new lifetime traceability for Thoroughbreds to be introduced for the 2019 foal crop. Next year, HRI will be working closely with Government and with industry stakeholders to advance the development of a state-of-the-art Irish Equine Centre in Johnstown, County Kildare. An industry-wide graduate programme is among the measures funded to assist those seeking to work in the industry and those seeking employees. 2019 will also see Irish racing embark on a television advertising campaign for the first time in over a decade. Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland, said: “While there is much to look forward to for Irish racing in 2019, there are headwinds also, not least with Brexit. In 2019, HRI will therefore invest in areas which will deliver sustainable growth for the industry. The completion of the Curragh redevelopment will give Irish flat racing the flagship it deserves and the new facilities will bear favourable comparison with other international racecourses. The challenge of Brexit is substantial and the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union in March will leave Ireland more isolated. It is important therefore to ensure that Irish prizemoney is competitive internationally and increases have been spread throughout the country.” View the full article

5th-TAM, $27.5K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:22 p.m. ET Starlight Racing and Spendthrift Farm teamed up to acquire RANGER UP (First Samurai) for $575,000 at Keeneland September and he debuts in this spot for Todd Pletcher. The gelding is a half-brother to undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ and GISW Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}), who retired to Claiborne Farm last term. The chestnut is also a half to SW Clear Sailing (Empire Maker) and their dam is a half to GSW & GISP sire Jump Start (A. P. Indy). Eoin Harty unveils Godolphin firster Cave Run (Street Sense), whose second dam is GISW Sugar Shake (Awesome Again). TJCIS PPs. —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

The New York Racing Association will know within a week whether it will be granted access to a state agency's bonding services and construction expertise to help it borrow to finance its big, future renovation program at Belmont Park. View the full article

Ontario Racing announced Dec. 14 a reallocation of the Horse Improvement Program purses between the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing, commencing in April of 2019. View the full article