Wandering Eyes

After two races conducted in brutal heat, Monmouth Park has opted for discretion and cancelled the six remaining non-stakes on its 14-race July 20 TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) Day card. View the full article

Star Catcher fully justified the decision to supplement her for the Kerrygold Irish Oaks (G1) by making all to land the classic at the Curragh July 20 under an inspired ride from Frankie Dettori. View the full article

After canceling live racing July 19-20 because of the forecast for extreme heat, Ellis Park announced it will conduct a special Monday card July 29 to make up some of the canceled races. View the full article

After two races run in oppressive mid-90-degree temperatures, Monmouth Park has opted for discretion and canceled the six remaining non-stakes on its 14-race July 20 TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) Day card. View the full article

Europe’s racing on Sunday spans from The Curragh to Dusseldorf, with Deauville in between offering a key 2-year-old contest in the G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin. Staged over the unique distance of 5 1/2 furlongs, it has attracted Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa’s G2 Norfolk S. winner A’Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) who bids to inflict another in a string of defeats on the French-trained contingent. Going from a defeat on debut at Ripon June 5 to a neck verdict over Saturday’s Weatherbys Super Sprint disappointment Ventura Rebel (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}) in the June 20 Royal Ascot speed test, the Simon Crisford trainee bids to become the sixth British-trained winner since 2012. The exception is the filly Jolie (Fr) (Power {GB}), who in another stride would have beaten the Norfolk abstainer Maven (American Pharoah) in the G3 Prix du Bois at Chantilly June 29. At The Curragh, the G2 Friarstown Stud Sapphire S. features some usual suspects among the sprinting scene and the 3-year-old Soldier’s Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Third in the G1 King’s Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 18, Clipper Logistics’ representative has proven ultra-consistent throughout his brief career so far and evades a penalty for his G2 Flying Childers S. success at Doncaster in September. The defection of June 19 G2 Duke of Cambridge S. winner Move Swiftly (GB) (Farhh {GB}) from the G2 Kilboy Estate S. due to the fast ground robs that nine furlong contest of some competitiveness and it provides Ballydoyle ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Star Goddess (Camelot {GB}) with a chance to return to winning ways. She has been gently eased back to competitive action and her latest third, albeit beaten nine lengths, in the June 26 Listed Naas Oaks Trial and the fact that Ryan Moore picks her over two fillies with better form suggests she is on her way back. Last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks for his first win subsequently in the G3 Prix Messidor at Deauville and there will be no excuses on the back of second placings in the Apr. 28 G1 Prix Ganay and May 26 G1 Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp. Dusseldorf’s G2 Meilen-Trophy sees the May 26 G2 German 1000 Guineas third and July 1 G3 Hugo Phohe-Rennen runner-up Shalona (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) take on the older horses with the weight-for-age scales swung firmly in her favour. The post A-Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The second annual “Riders Up! Battle of East-vs-West” jockey karaoke contests will be held in the coming weeks to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). The Saratoga jockeys will perform first on Sunday, July 28 at Vapor Night Club at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Former NYRA track announcer Tom Durkin will emcee and trainers Mark Casse, Mark Hennig, D. Wayne Lukas and Graham Motion will judge. Then, on Sunday, Aug. 4, the Del Mar jockeys will try to outdo their east coast rivals at Belly Up in Solana Beach. TVG host Mike Joyce is the emcee and Slam Dunk Racing’s Nick Cosato, San Diego sports radio personality Scott Kaplan, Del Mar CEO Joe Harper, and TVG analyst Todd Schrupp form the judges’ panel. Both contests will be streamed live via PDJF’s Facebook page and after the judges on each coast name their favorite performance, the public will vote for their favorite online via Facebook and Twitter (@PDJFund). Last year, the east coast’s winning performance bested the west by just 124 votes. General admission tickets (includes one drink coupon) for each venue are $75 with 7:30 p.m. entry to Vapor Night Club and 7:45 p.m. entry to Belly Up. A limited number of VIP tickets are available at each venue for $150 which includes early entry (6:00 p.m. entry in New York, 6:15 p.m. in California), reserved seats close to the stage, two drink coupons, and a buffet dinner with the jockeys. Performances are scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. in New York and 8:00 pm in California. Both events feature live and silent auctions and a cash bar. Patrons must be 21 years of age or older to enter the premises. Tickets are now on sale at https://pdjf.org/purchase-tickets/. Multi-tiered sponsorship opportunities are available for both events. Contact the PDJF by email (info@pdjf.org) or call (630) 595-7660. The post East vs. West Jockey Karaoke Battle to Benefit PDJF appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A field of 10 juvenile fillies will contest this turf sprint as racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga, headed by Coolmore’s SEQUIN (Bayern), who makes her career bow from the outside draw for Wesley Ward. Expectations are undoubtedly high for the dark bay considering she hammered for $500,000, easily the highest price for a progeny of her sire this year, at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream after breezing a furlong in :10 1/5. Out of a SP half-sister to SW/MGISP ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile), she tipped her hand with a bullet half-mile in :47 2/5 (1/34) over the Oklahoma turf July 13. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable went to $350,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga to secure Sharing (Speightstown), a daughter of 2010 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect). Trained by Graham Motion, the chestnut shows a steady worktab at her trainer’s Fair Hill base, capped by a three-furlong tightener over the training track in :37 4/5 (3/4) July 18. Other contenders include Claiborne Farm’s homebred Meritaten (War Front), a debutante out of a GSP full-sister to MG1SW The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and Robert Masiello’s firster Giggle Factory (The Factor), a half-sister to GISW turfer Watsdachances (Ire) (Diamond Green {Fr}). TJCIS PPs The post July 21 Insights: Pricey Bayern Filly Debuts for Coolmore at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After the delayed completion of its first two races under extremely warm and humid conditions, Monmouth Park announced that it would cancel part of the remainder of its GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational card (races 3,4,6,7,13,14), but would hold its scheduled stakes races beginning at 6:00 p.m. Rescheduled post times are as follows: 6:00 p.m. – GIII Oceanport S. 6:25 p.m. – GIII Molly Pitcher S. 6:53 p.m. – Wolf Hill S. 7:15 p.m. – GIII Monmouth Cup S. 7:40 p.m. – GIII Matchmaker S. 8:05 p.m. – GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. The post Haskell Card at Monmouth Paused; Stakes to Be Held Starting at 6:00 P.M. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The start of Monmouth Park’s GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. card was delayed approximately 30 minutes as officials and participants discussed whether or not to run in extremely warm conditions. According to the Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy contacted the track’s operator Dennis Drazin to express his concerns about the conditions. After two late scratches, the first race took place, and the track said it would reevaluate the running of any more races after the second contest–as of now, there appears to be a delay before that race. This story will be updated as necessary. The post Start of Haskell Card Delayed; Monmouth to Reevaluate After Second Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Frankie Dettori continued his hot streak at The Curragh on Saturday when judging the pace to a tee on the 7-2 second favourite and TDN Rising Star Star Catcher (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Kerrygold Irish Oaks. Sent straight to the front, Anthony Oppenheimer’s June 21 G2 Ribblesdale S. winner had that Royal Ascot contest’s runner-up Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) to deal with at the end again here but pulled out more when threatened to prevail by a half length as they pulled clear of the 5-2 favourite Pink Dogwood (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in third. 1–STAR CATCHER (GB), 126, f, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire) 1st Dam: Lynnwood Chase, by Horse Chestnut (SAf) 2nd Dam: Lady Ilsley, by Trempolino 3rd Dam: Sue Warner, by Forli 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (240,000gns Wlg ’16 TATFOA). O-A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Studs (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. *1/2 to Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid), GISW-Can & MGSW-Eng, $680,268; and Pisco Sour (Lemon Drop Kid), GSW-Eng & Fr, $412,610. The post Sea the Stars’ Star Catcher Makes All In the Irish Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Accomplished trainer James “Jimmy” Picou died Friday in South Florida following a long illness. One of 16 children born to Cajun parents in Southeast Texas, Picou got his start in racing as a jockey in 1949 before a training career that spanned 45 years. Based in New York and Florida, he conditioned runners for the likes of Fred Hooper, saddling 422 North American winners with earnings in excess of $15 million before retiring in 2004 at the age of 70. Picou’s standout trainees included 1981 GI Travers S. winner Willow Hour; MGISW and $2 million-plus earner Val’s Prince, who took the 1997 Hong Kong Cup; Hooper homebred Diplomatic Jet, who won a trio of Grade I events in 1996; 1967 Coaching Club American Oaks heroine Quillo Queen. Picou is survived by his son Jim Picou and daughters Debbie Markowski and Lisa Picou. His wife Helen passed away in December 2016. Brother Clarence Picou, also a trainer, died in November 1998. Arrangements for a family celebration of life will be planned at a later date. The post Trainer Jimmy Picou Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will hold its annual Military Appreciation Day at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday, July 24. The day will feature free grandstand admission for all United States military service members and veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service.NYRA will welcome and recognize local service members and veterans in the winner’s circle before races on the day’s card. “The New York Racing Association is honored to recognize the service and dedication of the men and women of the United States military,” said NYRA CEO & President Dave O’Rourke. “Military Appreciation Day is one of the highlights of the season and we look forward to continuing this great Saratoga tradition.” For more details, visit www.nyra.com. The post Military Appreciation Day Wednesday at Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host its first of four public Open Barns on Monday, July 22 at the TRF Saratoga Summer Farm at Bloomfield Farm from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A brief ground-work demonstration will take place in the Bloomfield Farm arena at 6:00 p.m. The event is free, family friendly, handicapped accessible and open to the public. Donations are welcome and merchandise will be on sale. Subsequent Open Barn day events will be held on July 29, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26 with the same hours. For more information, visit www.trfinc.org. The post TRF to Host Open Barn Events in Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Guarana (Ghostzapper) looks to stretch her speed around two turns and nine panels as she looms the one to reel in in Sunday’s GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. The Three Chimneys homebred thrashed sprinting maidens in the Keeneland slop Apr. 19 to the tune of 14 3/4 lengths. Favored off just that debut over GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in the one-turn-mile GI Acorn S. at Belmont June 8, the Chad Brown pupil put six lengths on that formidable foe in the stretch under Jose Ortiz, who had ridden both fillies in their prior outings. Should Guarana falter, Point of Honor (Curlin) boasts the lone 1 1/8-mile win on her record, having annexed the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. last out May 17. She opened her account two-for-two, including a win in Tampa’s Suncoast S. in February, but was a somewhat disappointing fourth behind Champagne Anyone (Street Sense) and Guarana’s stablemate and recent GII Mother Goose S. romper Dunbar Road (Quality Road) in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 30. Brought along in typically patient, progressive fashion by Ian Wilkes, Champagne Anyone seemed to put it all together in the Gulfstream Oaks. She was far from disgraced when fourth from far back after a rough start in the Kentucky Oaks, and got a feel for the Saratoga main track with a 1:00 1/5 (3/29) spin Saturday. “She’s training well and I’m happy with her,” Wilkes said. “I freshened her up, backed off a bit and just was trying to get her ready for this race.” The post Distance the Only Question for Guarana 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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Progressive galloper Helena Baby took the next step in his burgeoning career in stunning fashion when he simply decimated his rivals in Saturday’s Listed Powerworx Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth. Most pundits were expecting the four-year-old Guillotine gelding to prove competitive in his first crack in open company but none could have predicted the dominance he would exert on his well-performed rivals. Rider Donavan Mansour, who had been aboard the John Bell-trained runner in all of his s... View the full article

Free-going seven-year-old Admiral bounced back to winning form with an all-the-way victory in open company at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Stephen Ralph-trained gelding thrives on winter tracks and found the Heavy10 surface just to his liking as he set his race rivals a merry chase in the 1600m contest. Rider Trudy Thornton had Admiral pinging along nicely in front throughout before applying the pressure with 600m to run. Thornton turned up the heat turning for home as Admiral slipped three lengths ... View the full article

Speedy two-year-old Sai Fah booked himself a tilt at next weekend’s Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) with an effortless victory over 1100m at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Rios gelding, sporting blinkers for the first time, settled just off the speed in the six-horse field before issuing his challenge for rider Michael Coleman shortly after commencing the run home. Despite a tendency to lug in over the closing stages Sai Fah dashed well clear of the opposition as he won untouched by a conservative five... View the full article

Each Saturday NTRA and BloodHorse provide a one-stop guide to the day's graded stakes races. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Click on links for full preview. View the full article

Indisposed Boss not riding on Sunday View the full article

Sent off as the third choice at odds of 2-1, Regal Glory proved to be the best of the three in the July 19 Lake George Stakes (G3T), picking up her first graded stakes victory as her stablemates—off at odds of 6-5—finished behind her. View the full article

Sent off the ‘longest’ price of a trio of Chad Brown runners in a scratched-down renewal of the GIII Lake George S. at Saratoga, Paul Pompa, Jr.’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) reeled in pacesetting favorite Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in the final furlong to give Brown a third win in the race in the last five years. Dogtag (War Front), narrowly favored off her victory in the May 17 Hilltop S., checked in third. Blowout won the break and had things very much her own way from the front as Dogtag was content to sit second with Regal Glory three deep in the breeze from last. Positions remained unchanged for the opening five-eighths of a mile, but Luis Saez began to get after Regal Glory and had her in top gear four wide off the final corner. Blowout offered some resistance when tackled in earnest a furlong down, but Regal Glory had the momentum and streaked home first as Blowout gave game chase inside. Dogtag was free of excuses in third. Brown said, “What I did was I told all the jockeys, ‘Look, just try to ride your own race and do the best you can to win. Outside of that, if you want to talk to your individual clients or representatives that are here today, please do so and draw up a plan.’ I didn’t give any instructions other than that. I thought that was the fairest way to do it, only because it was my horses in the race.” Romping to ‘Rising Star’-dom at first asking sprinting at Belmont last October, Regal Glory added a narrow victory in Aqueduct’s Stewart Manor S. Nov. 11 before calling it a season. Runner-up in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream Feb. 3, she rallied to fill the same spot in Keeneland’s GII Appalachian S. Apr. 7 and validated dime-on-the-dollar favoritism when proving 2 3/4 lengths too strong in the June 1 Penn Oaks at Penn National. Pedigree Notes: The fourth graded winner for his Kentucky Derby-winning sire, Regal Glory is the second graded winner for her dam, whose first foal Night Prowler was a two-time graded winner for Pompa and Brown in 2015. He remained in training through his 7-year-old campaign and was third as the favorite in the Barbados Gold Cup this past March. Regal Glory, also the 35th graded winner produced by a daughter of dual-hemisphere sensation More Than Ready, has a 2-year-old half-brother by American Pharoah that was acquired by Narvick International’s Emmanuel de Seroux for $475,000 after breezing a quarter-mile in :21 1/5. Mary’s Follies foaled a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) this term. Friday, Saratoga LAKE GEORGE S.-GIII, $130,500, Saratoga, 7-19, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.23, fm. 1–REGAL GLORY, 121, f, 3, by Animal Kingdom 1st Dam: Mary’s Follies (MGSW, $338,889), by More Than Ready 2nd Dam: Catch the Queen, by Miswaki 3rd Dam: Wave to the Queen, by Wavering Monarch 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ‘TDN Rising Star‘ O-Paul P. Pompa, Jr.; B-Paul P Pompa (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Luis Saez. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 6-4-2-0, $356,750. *1/2 to Night Prowler (Giant’s Causeway), MGSW, $475,682. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Blowout (GB), 121, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–Beauty Parlour (GB), by Deep Impact (Jpn). (€450,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Dayton Investments Ltd. (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $30,000. 3–Dogtag, 121, f, 3, War Front–Diamond Necklace, by Unbridled’s Song. O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $18,000. Margins: HF, 1 3/4, NO. Odds: 2.30, 1.20, 1.25. Also Ran: Stillwater Cove. Scratched: Espresso Shot, Winter Sunset, The Mackem Bullet (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post ‘Longshot’ Regal Glory Best in Lake George appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dennis Drazin is surely feeling the heat these days, literally and figuratively. View the full article

The deadline for early nomination of weanlings to the Breeders’ Cup is Thursday, Aug. 1, at 11:59 p.m. ET. While the nomination fee of $400 does not change through the regular deadline of Oct. 15, the Aug. 1 date is the deadline for the engagement to appear on the printed catalogue pages for the fall weanling sales. Breeders’ Cup nomination gives each foal lifetime eligibility to the Breeders’ Cup Racing Programs, including the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. All foals sired by Breeders’ Cup-nominated stallions are eligible for the program. For more information, visit https://www.members.breederscup.com/ The post Breeders’ Cup Weanling Nomination Deadline Aug. 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gary Barber’s War of Will (War Front) indicated his readiness for the July 27 GII Jim Dandy S., breezing a smooth half-mile in :49.33 over the Saratoga main track Friday morning. The GI Preakness S. winner was put through his paces by Tyler Gaffalione, who retains the mount in what will be a prep for the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 24. “He went great. It was honestly one of his best works to date, really,” Gaffalione said. “He seemed to love the track, handled it real well, and was full of energy. Every week he’s just getting stronger and stronger. We’re really looking forward to his next race. It’s going to be a competitive field, but the way he’s been training and how he looks, his whole demeanor, we’ve got a ton of confidence.” The move also pleased trainer Mark Casse. “He went well, you couldn’t ask him to do anything better. I told Tyler I didn’t want him to go fast,” the conditioner Casse. “The first quarter he was a little slow, so we radioed Tyler to pick it up a bit. He gets over the Saratoga surface really well. Tyler said it reminded him of the work before the [Kentucky] Derby. He said last week was good and this week was even better. Casse added: “If you want to see poetry in motion for a horse, and what you would like to see out of a racehorse–he’s what it is. He’s the entire package.” Hofburg Possible for Woodward… Trainer Bill Mott reports that Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Hofburg (Tapit) emerged from his comebacking allowance win July 18 and is under consideration for the GI Woodward S. over the same nine-furlong distance Aug. 31. “I thought he ran really well,” said Mott. “Tactically, he was good. He was up in the race and when Jose asked him, he drew away from his company. He didn’t hang at the end and it seemed like he had good energy the last eighth of a mile. It was a very good race.” A half-brother to MGISW Emollient (Empire Maker), Hofburg was runner-up in last year’s GI Florida Derby in just his third career appearance and was third to Justify (Scat Daddy) when that one clinched his Triple Crown in the GI Belmont S. The overpowering five-length winner of the restricted Curlin S. last July, he was unplaced in the GI Pennsylvania Derby and GII Fayette S. and was getting the blinkers off for his return to action Thursday. He’s No Lemon Headed to Jockey Club Derby… He’s No Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), who rallied from last behind no pace whatsoever to take a second-level allowance over 11 furlongs Thursday afternoon, will likely make his next appearance in the $1-million Jockey Club Derby going a mile and a half at Belmont Sept. 7. The Jockey Club Derby is the final leg of NYRA’s newly formed Turf Trinity, which also features the GI Belmont Derby and Saratoga Derby. “I actually questioned a little bit how far he wanted to go but the way he won [Thursday afternoon] he put that to rest. We’ll point to the last leg of the Turf Triple,” trainer Graham Motion said. A homebred for Alex G. Campbell, He’s No Lemon has never missed the top three in now four tries over the mile and three-eighths. A maiden winner at Tampa going that trip Feb. 3, he was third in allowance company at Churchill May 17 and at Belmont June 6 ahead of Thursday’s score as the 3-2 chalk. The post Spa Notes: War of Will Breezes Towards Jim Dandy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article