Wandering Eyes

The Central Districts has lost one of its most likeable characters with the passing of start attendant Brian “Monk” Peta. The 63-year-old suffered a heart attack at Trentham racecourse on Saturday and passed away on Sunday night at Lower Hutt hospital. His loss will be felt by many within the racing community, with his cheeky grin and jovial character having met jockeys at the starting gates for several decades. “He has been on the gates for about 20 years roughly,” Central Districts sta... View the full article

GFB Racing and Danny Pish's Gee She Sparkles took her record to 2-for-2 when she won the $109,167 Texas Thoroughbred Futurity for Texas accredited and TTA Sale graduate 2-year-old fillies by 5 1/4 lengths July 14 at Lone Star Park. View the full article

Four days into a revamped Saratoga Race Course meet, New York Racing Association president and CEO David O'Rourke has a new twist on an old slogan. View the full article

Saratoga’s opening weekend, which began Thursday and concluded Sunday, produced an all-sources handle of $73,441,101, up from the 2018 opening weekend all-sources total of $71,671,188. The 2018 opening weekend was from Friday, July 20 to Monday, July 23. Total paid attendance for opening weekend of the 2019 season was 105,690, nearly matching the 109,395 for the first four days of the 2018 season. “We’d like to thank our fans, horsemen and the community for embracing the earlier-than-usual start to the season. Saratoga has certainly once again demonstrated its widespread popularity,” said NYRA CEO and President Dave O’Rourke. “From the thrill of opening day to welcoming our first guests to the 1863 Club, it has been an exciting four days filled with special events and activities, including a memorable visit from National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Mariano Rivera. We look forward to continuing to provide fans with world-class Thoroughbred racing and entertainment for the next 36 days.” The post Strong Opening Weekend at Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pike, Berry, Melham and Boss to ride at Singapore Derby meeting View the full article

Horses' test results July 13 & 15 View the full article

Gliding easily over the Saratoga turf course, Klein Racing's undefeated Break Even looked as if she was barely exerting herself while setting blazing fractions in the $100,000 Coronation Cup Stakes July 14, bringing her of win tally to six. View the full article

Forty stakes races worth over $7.3 million are on tap for Del Mar's 80th summer season, which opens July 17 with the $100,000 Runhappy Oceanside headlining a 10-race card. View the full article

Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress recorded her first work over the Saratoga Race Course main track following the renovation break July 14, covering four furlongs in :47.69 under exercise rider Gilbert Concha. View the full article

The brilliantly fast and undefeated Break Even had never been seriously threatened in five tries on the dirt, and showed that her impressive speed could translate to the turf too with another jaw-dropping display Sunday. A five-length romper in a rained-off Fair Grounds heat on New Year’s Day that produced four other next-out winners, the Klein homebred cleared her first-level allowance condition later that month before resurfacing to run away with Oaklawn’s Purple Martin S. Mar. 30. She made the grade and handled seven furlongs just fine when taking Churchill GII Eight Belles S. by 5 1/2 lengths on GI Kentucky Oaks day May 3, and had last been seen holding on in Belmont’s June 9 Jersey Girl S. Emerging with the early advantage without exerting much effort, the dark bay sped away to post a lightning-fast opening quarter of :21.03. She got the half in :43.50 while still just cruising along, and was kept to task late by Shaun Bridgmohan to keep finding up front. The winner has a yearling full-brother. “She does it easy. It’s not a run off. She’s very relaxed,” said owner Richard Klein. “We’ve had a lot of nice horses, but this may be the nicest we’ve ever had. To start six-for-six; she’s been at five different racetracks; she’s been on the turf, slop, dirt, seven-eighths, three-quarters, five and a half [furlongs]. She’ll do whatever you ask her to do… “We’re going to definitely look at the [Aug. 31 GII] Prioress and there’s a turf sprint here at the end of the meet. I just want to take care of her, and we just want her to be happy. She’ll tell us when she’s ready to run.” CORONATION CUP S., $100,000, Saratoga, 7-14, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.59, fm. 1–BREAK EVEN, 123, f, 3, by Country Day 1st Dam: Exotic Wager, by Saint Ballado 2nd Dam: Right Chanel, by Valid Appeal 3rd Dam: General Chanel, by General Holme O-Klein Racing; B-Richard & Bert Klein (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Shaun Bridgmohan. $55,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-6-0-0, $424,900. 2–Eyeinthesky, 120, f, 3, Sky Mesa–Ruliontome, by Lion Heart. ($22,000 Ylg ’17 OBSOCT). O-Gary Barber; B-Rusty Kindratiw (FL); T-Mark E. Casse. $20,000. 3–Bohemian Bourbon, 118, f, 3, Midshipman–Irene Adler, by Bernardini. ($85,000 2yo ’18 OBSOPN). O-Bourbon Lane Stable (J. Hill, M. McMahon); B-Fedai Kahraman (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $12,000. Margins: 1, 1HF, NO. Odds: 1.10, 4.80, 7.70. Also Ran: Midnight Fantasy, My Galina, Lyrical Lady. Scratched: Abyssinian, I’llhandalthecash, A Bit of Both. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post Speedster Break Even Stays Unbeaten While Taking to Turf at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The win machine that is Entourage Stable's Pink Lloyd pulled through again July 14 to win Woodbine's CA$146,000 (US$111,705) Vigil Stakes (G3) for the third consecutive year. View the full article

At odds of 18-1, Lexitonian added the $75,000 Concern Stakes to his resume July 14 at Laural Park. View the full article

G1SW Siyarafina (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}-Siyenica {Fr}, by Azamour {Ire}) has been retired to the paddocks, trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre told Jour de Galop on Sunday. A homebred for His Highness The Aga Khan, the bay earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status on debut at Saint-Cloud in April and made it two on the bounce in a ParisLongchamp conditions test on Apr. 22. The daughter of French SW & MGSP Siyenica had a length to spare over her rivals when saluting in the May 26 G1 Prix Saint Alary as the short-priced chalk. She most recently finished sixth while favoured in the June 16 G1 Prix de Diane and retires with a mark of 4-3-0-0 and $193,824 in earnings. “Siyarafina will enter stud,” trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre told Jour de Galop. “There are several small [physical] issues. She is a filly who has great breeding value. She is a Group 1 winner and we prefer not to take [any further] risks.” Siyarafina’s second dam, the SW & MGSP Sichilla (Ire), (Danehill) is a half-sister to English/Italian highweight and MG1SW Slickly (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}). Besides Siyenica, she also produced English/French highweight and MG1SW Siyouma (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), as well as G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}), who stood for €100,000 this season at The Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval. The post Siyarafina Retired to Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gary and Mary West’s Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his effortless win in Saturday’s four-horse GIII Los Alamitos Derby in fine shape and remains on target for the Aug. 24 GI Runhappy Travers S. “We were lucky the race even ran, but he’s been really well,” trainer Bob Baffert said of Game Winner’s Los Alamitos Derby effort. “I expected a big race out of him and a real positive race. He went along there with the blinkers and when he asked him to go, he took off that last eighth of a mile. He got something out of it and we’re happy with that. We did the same thing with West Coast and took the same route.” The Wests and Baffert teamed up with West Coast (Flatter) to win the Travers two years ago en route to earning the 3-year-old championship. Game Winner capped an unbeaten championship 2-year-old season with a win in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He was second in both the Mar. 16 GII Rebel S. and Apr. 6 GI Santa Anita Derby and had been off since finishing sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby. Another Baffert trainee with a Saratoga assignment is McKinzie (Street Sense), who is expected to start in the Aug. 3 GI Whitney S. The 4-year-old was a troubled second in the June 8 GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time out. “He just had a little tough spin there on the inside, but we put that behind us. It’s on to Cincinnati, as Belichick would say,” Baffert quipped. “I was always really high on him as a 2-year-old. He was immature, but now he’s starting to put it together. I don’t think distance will be a problem. He just has to be ridden the right way and I think that [jockey] Mike [Smith] has him figured out now.” In other Saratoga news, GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (Alternation) worked four furlongs in :47.69 (9/90) over the main track Sunday in preparation for the Aug. 3 GI Longines Test S. “Serengeti Empress had a very good workout today,” trainer Tom Amoss said. “It was her first time over the Saratoga course. We went right after the break, which is a very busy time and there was a lot of traffic throughout her workout. She handled it fine and she was a pro when it comes to that, so I was very happy with how she did.” Serengeti Empress was most recently second behind Guarana (Ghostzapper) in the June 8 GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. The post Game Winner on Track for Travers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Peter Kirwan, who previously bred and consigned horses under his Glenmalure Farm banner, has turned his attention to buying horses and the Irishman was part of the team which enjoyed graded stakes success at Saratoga when By Your Side (Constitution) came home first in Saturday’s GIII Sanford S. “I do a lot of work for [trainer] Eddie Kenneally,” Kirwan said. “We have a pinhooking partnership together and then he has clients. So I short-list for him and then he goes around with his clients to pick them out from my short list.” Kirwan short-listed the bay colt from the first crop of Constitution at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, where the yearling sold for $240,000 to Brad Anderson. Asked about his initial impressions of the youngster, Kirwan said, “When you go to September, you see a lot of horses. The good ones walk out and they just out-show themselves all the time. He was one of those. He was a big, strong, good-looking horse with a lot of class. And he was correct. He had all the right angles that I look for.” By Your Side just got his nose in front on the line to win his debut at Churchill Downs June 14 and was the 7-5 favorite when he drew away to a three-length victory in the Sanford (video). Anderson doubled up on stakes wins later in the day when the Kenneally-trained Parlor (Lonhro {Aus}) won the Glasgow S. at Delaware Park. “You hope they live up to their looks and apparently all the way through he looked like that,” Kirwan said of By Your Side’s early success at the races. “He went to Eddie Woods to be broken and he never had a problem with him. He shipped him up in April to Eddie Kenneally and he has done nothing wrong since. When you see him gallop on the track, he just floats over the ground.” By Your Side exited his Sanford win in good shape and his future assignments could include the Sept. 2 GI Runhappy Hopeful S., according to Kenneally. “He’s doing really well and came out of the race perfectly,” Kenneally told the NYRA publicity department Sunday. “He came out of it as good as you can expect a horse to come out of a race. He had a hard enough race, but I’m really happy with how he came back, and he looks fantastic this morning. Kenneally continued, “We’ll certainly be looking at the Hopeful. We’ll give him some time before we have to run back again. It’s kind of open right now. We’ll just play it by ear.” As for Kirwan, who sold Glenmalure Farm last year, he is looking forward to the challenge of seeking out other future graded stakes winner at the upcoming yearling sales. “I’m concentrating on buying for people now–I’m trying to build up a client base,” he said. “We tried to buy two for another client [at the July sale], but we didn’t get to buy, so we’ll wait for [Keeneland] September.” Of the challenges inherent in working the two-week September sale, Kirwan said, “It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun. And there are more opportunities. In July and the select sales, people have a lot of time, whereas in September, people don’t have so much time. So sometimes horses fall through the cracks. And we try pick out those.” The post Kirwan on Right ‘Side’ of Sanford Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Julien Leparoux was back in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the morning after he fell at the start of the July 13 Indiana Derby (G3) at Indiana Grand and is expected to resume race riding at Saratoga Race Course after the track's dark days July 15-16. View the full article

The Hong Kong 2018/2019 season once again ended with increases in several betting categories. Turnover for the finale was HK$1.966 billion, a new record for the card, which caused overall betting turnover to rise by 0.4% to $HK124,819 million from $HK124,282 million, which equates to just over £12.7 billion. Sunday’s attendance was 51,000 bringing the seasonal total to 2.21 million, a rise of 3.3%. Commingling also increased to $HK18,823 million (+13.5%) from $HK16,577 million, or around £1.9 billion, with gross margin rising by 1% to HK$5.54 billion. “The major growth driver was definitely commingling, which showed fantastic results and increased by 13%,” said Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “But what counts is the gross margin, and, in the circumstances of a challenging environment we are very satisfied that we have seen that increase by 1% to HK$5.54 billion.” The HKJC also had reason to celebrate the performance of Conghua Racecourse, which opened in August of 2018. A total of 78 winners were prepared at the new training centre, winning 109 races between them. The first raceday at the facility was conducted in March. “Conghua has far exceeded our expectations,” Mr. Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “For the future growth of Hong Kong racing, Conghua is very important. Opening up a facility is one thing but filling it with life and getting acceptance from trainers and owners for such a huge new project is something we knew would be very challenging. This project gives us plenty of opportunities and we have to thank our owners and trainers for making this vision come true and embracing it. “Our commitment to world-class racing is demonstrated by a significant prize money increase to HK$1.3 billion next season. If you look at average prize money we have the highest in the world and we want to keep that status in order to incentivise owners to bring top class horses here and also to maintain our contributions to the community through tax, employment and last but not least our charity contributions.” The post Hong Kong Season Posts Increases appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sir Michael Stoute has confirmed the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood on July 31 as the next objective for his G1 Falmouth S. heroine Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}). The Cheveley Park homebred secured the Group 1 success she has long promised at Newmarket on Friday–making every yard of the running under a tremendous ride from Oisin Murphy. Goodwood’s G1 Nassau S., in which she finished third last year, was mooted as a potential target in the immediate aftermath. However, speaking on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme, Stoute revealed he is leaning towards letting his filly take on the boys over a mile. “She had no travel and got a lovely ride. She’s come out of the race well,” said the trainer. “She’ll probably now go for the Sussex. She ran a big race at Goodwood in the Nassau last year. I was delighted for Cheveley Park–they deserve to be winning races like that.” The master of Freemason Lodge also provided an update on stable star Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). An authoritative winner of the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot last month, the 5-year-old is reportedly firmly on course for a mouth-watering clash with John Gosden’s dual Arc heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the July 27 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. Stoute added, “We’ll go for the King George. John’s filly is a machine, and she’s going to be very hard to beat, but we’ll have a go.” The post Sussex Targetted by Veracious appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

David Jerkens, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club racing secretary, is a man with two tales to tell as Opening Day at Del Mar looms just days away. On the one hand are all the positives to highlight, like the additions they’ve made to their “Ship & Win” program, the automatic check for new imports increased to $2,500, and the first-race purse bonus raised to 40%. The Del Mar turf course, said Jerkens, is the “best in the country.” That, and the main track “performed great last year,” he said. “So, our surfaces I’m very confident in.” The nominations which closed Friday for a number of major stake races were also “very encouraging,” said Jerkens. “Our numbers are right where they were a year ago. That’s very good news.” Nevertheless, there’s no escaping the hovering specter of events at Santa Anita this year, and the laser-focused scrutiny the state’s racing industry is currently under. One area the sport has been impacted is field sizes. Just look at Santa Anita, reduced to racing three days a week. Or to Los Alamitos, where the threat of small field sizes meant the facility proved unable to maintain its four-day race-week. Indeed, the horse population in Southern California is down around 10 to 15%, admitted Jerkens, adding that this deficit is seen at facilities like San Luis Rey Downs and Los Alamitos. San Luis Rey general manager Kevin Habell confirmed that the facility has between 30 and 50 fewer horses than is typical for this time of year. That said, come Opening Day, the backstretch inventory at Del Mar is expected to total around 1900 horses “or so,” said Jerkens–the maximum amount currently permitted on the grounds. This will, of course, include horses formerly trained by Jerry Hollendorfer who will now race under his assistant, Dan Ward. It’s no surprise, then, that Jerkens described as a “primary goal” of Del Mar the need to “stabilize” the existing horse population. “When racing was suspended in March, various trainers sent strings to Kentucky and elsewhere,” said Jerkens. “Part of our responsibility and goal during that period was to try to reach out to those individuals [and say], ‘Del Mar is running this summer. We want you back.’ And we were able to accomplish that.” One of those trainers is Doug O’Neill, who sent horses to Oaklawn and Keeneland in the spring. He told the TDN that he’ll bring three horses back from New York Wednesday. Not that O’Neill had a significant presence out-of-state this year. “I had spoken with [The Stronach Group COO] Tim Ritvo before the meet started, promised that I would be a full-time supporter of Santa Anita,” O’Neill said. “I wanted to stick to that promise, and we ran a lot of horses there.” On the flip side of the same coin, Peter Miller told The San Diego Tribune that he has moved a third of his 75 horses to Kentucky. Digging down into particulars, the current Southern California horse population is threadbare in a few important areas, explained Jerkens, including 2-year-olds. “Things that happen in March and April influence July and August,” he explained. “When there was uncertainty at Santa Anita in March and April, traditionally that’s when owners back East send 2-year-olds to California trainers.” On top of that, where out-of-state trainers might have fortified the numbers, not so this year. Yes, Del Mar has seen an increased presence from Northern California trainers, said Jerkens. “And we do have a few trainers from back East, James DiVito, and a few trainers from the northwest,” he added. Nevertheless, the “perception” of California racing in light of recent events has made out-of-state recruitment “very challenging,” Jerkens said. Some of the horsemen he spoke with voiced confusion about some of the reforms instituted in recent months, Jerkens added. This includes tightened medication policies and proposed changes to use of the whip. “That was a big issue,” said Jerkens, about the whip issue. “I had one trainer say, ‘Do they even allow the riding crop anymore?’ Of course, it’s not true, but it’s that negative perception.” Del Mar, however, is still aiming to race five days a week, Jerkens said. “The industry relies on us to fill five days a week,” said Jerkens. To do that, Del Mar may reduce the number of races throughout its 36-day meet. “I like to call it four-and-a-half days-a-week, where we may reduce four races a week on average,” said Jerkens, emphasizing how his approach to the problem is “fluid.” The average field size at Del Mar last year was a noteworthy 8.7. When asked whether he’ll use that number as a benchmark for shaping the program this year, Jerkens replied in the affirmative. “We’re going to have to be as resourceful as possible,” he said, adding that he’ll utilize data analytics to better understand the horse population, as well as “good old-fashioned communication” with the trainers. The white noise currently surrounding the industry, however, is welfare, welfare, welfare. Last year, Del Mar’s fatality rate was 0.79 catastrophic injuries per 1,000 starts–less than half the national average for deaths (1.68). The facility recently announced what safety measures it will implement this year, to build upon the work done previously. The recently instituted five-person entry review panel, of course, is a new addition to the landscape. Some horsemen, however, have voiced–though not on the record–frustration with the panel, arguing that it sometimes unfairly targets horses that shouldn’t be prevented from racing. California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director Rick Arthur describes as “uninformed” that reaction. “If [horses] should have run, they would not have been removed by the panel,” he said. Arthur described the panel, and the trainers’ response to it, as a work in progress–something reflected in the stats. According to CHRB numbers, there were 38 scratches and denied entries for the final six programs at Santa Anita, compared with nine panel rejections of entries for the Los Alamitos programs. As a “work in progress,” further modifications have been made to the way the panel will operate at Del Mar, Arthur said. At Santa Anita and Los Alamitos, the panel met and reviewed horses before entries were taken. At Del Mar, “the panel will meet after entries are taken,” said Arthur. “We think this will be a more efficient way to do it for everyone,” he added. “It was very cumbersome for the racing office and the panel the way we were doing it.” Veterinary members of the panel along with additional attending veterinarians, said Arthur, will also be looking “more and more” at horses after entry and before their usual pre-race examinations, as well as at horses identified for extra scrutiny by the veterinarians monitoring morning training. On top of that, additional veterinary and secretarial staff will be employed to “make sure we can get the information we need to make sure only horses that are suitable and fit to race are allowed to race,” said Arthur. “We think we have personnel that will allow us to do what, frankly, what we’ve always wanted to do, but, never had the backing to get that done previously,” he added. Another new addition to the Del Mar furniture is a stakeholder advisory committee that will meet once a week to discuss things like safety practices, daily operations and the state of the track surfaces. The committee will include trainer Jim Cassidy, Del Mar track superintendent Dennis Moore, and Del Mar’s executive vice president for racing and industry relations Tom Robbins, said Jerkens. “Again, it’s about keeping that open communication and open dialogue between horsemen, management and track superintendent,” he said, about the purpose of the committee. It’s also one of the factors that Jerkens gives for entering into the meet with what is probably best described as a sense of cautious optimism. “I still think we’re grateful and appreciative of those who are participating this summer, and, honestly, we still should have a successful meet.” The post Del Mar Meeting Set to Accentuate the Positive appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Heavily-bet and odds-on, Ballydoyle’s Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was on top at the end of the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris to add to his stable’s G1 Epsom and Irish Derbys. Always travelling within himself in a share of third, the June 21 G2 King Edward VII S. winner took control with 300 metres remaining and was out of reach as Slalom (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) made inroads after another tardy start. At the line, he had a half length to spare over the Wertheimer runner, with Jalmoud (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) 3/4 of a length back in third. “We thought there might be a slow pace so we had to ride him more forward, which is not ideal as when he gets there he waits a little bit and tends to idle,” Aidan O’Brien said. “We have rushed him a little bit race to race this year, so we’re delighted to get this. The plan was to give him a rest and then give him an Arc prep.” JAPAN (GB), c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Shastye (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Danehill. (1,300,000gns Ylg ’17 TAOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Ryan Moore. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, GSW-Ire, 7-4-0-1. *Full to Secret Gesture (GB), GSW & MG1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr & Ger, GISP-US, $746,427; and 1/2 to Sir Isaac Newton (GB), GSW-Ire, SW-Eng & GSP-Aus, $403,231; and Maurus (GB) (Medicean {GB}), SW & MGSP-Aus, $403,286. The post Galileo’s Japan Takes the Grand Prix de Paris appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The modern black-type system began to take shape in Europe in 1971 when group designators were introduced to differentiate different levels of stakes races. This system was widened to North America/Canada in 1973 and was further refined by the creation of the International Cataloguing Standards Committee in 1981 and the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers in 1983. Barring minor refinements and further geographical expansion, the core system has stayed much the same since. To summarise how it works, the system categorises races around the world into Group/Grade 1s, 2s, 3s and listed races (as well as qualifying non-listed stakes race in America and Canada) that are deemed to be of a high enough standard to be included in Part I of the International Cataloguing Standards. The winners of these races are listed in upper-case bold lettering in sales catalogues which stands out again the non-bold font on the page, hence the “black-type” moniker. Those that finish second and third in them earn lower-case bold lettering. This system was a game changer at the time of its creation given that researching race records was a notably laborious task back then, particularly when it came to international racing. However, the internet has transformed how everyone in racing researches pedigrees and race records, raising the standards of information that can be sought out in every aspect of the pursuit. Yet, the black-type system has remained pretty much unchanged during this data revolution. While the current system is adequate, there is no denying that it has shortcomings and flaws. Black-type should aspire to be an internationally-recognised seal of approval of a horse’s form having reached a certain level. However, everyone knows that not all black-type is equal. I have access to a database of every black-type race in the world that lists the average Timeform rating of the first, second and third home in the last five renewals. This database quickly sorts the wheat from the chaff in terms of what races and indeed what countries tend to overperform and underperform within each grade. The gaps between the best and worst in each category tend to be substantial, yet the black-type system considers them all to be equal. Another shortcoming of the black-type system that is particularly relevant to British racing is that the programme book there consists of a multitude of high-class but non-black-type handicaps. These handicaps regularly offer far more prize money than most stakes races and horses that run in them will only have their handicap marks raised for being involved in the finish, whereas their mark could suffer for finishing close to higher-rated rivals in a stakes races without necessarily having gone close or earned significant prize money. This has led to a situation where a substantial number of stakes-class colts and geldings rarely contest stakes races in Britain, as valuable handicaps are a much more attractive option for them. With many of these horses being officially rated well over 100 and very much deserving of black-type, they find themselves in a blind sport of the current system. That situation contrasts with the other end of the scale of the system whereby horses can gain black-type despite running to a lower level than should warrant such status. There are countless examples of horses sneaking into the placings in small-field or below-standard black-type races, but perhaps the best example to give to illustrate the point is an extreme one. Meohmy was a 24-race maiden that was officially rated just 46, yet she finished a well-held third in a three-runner listed race at Lingfield back in 2009. She was promptly retired to stud with her name lit up in lower-case black-type. While that is clearly an exceptional case, the scope for undeserved black-type being dished out by the current system should be clear for all to see. All told, it surely isn’t right that the cataloguing standards on which so much emphasis is placed in the world of racing and bloodstock are so basic? The sport has advanced immeasurably since the 1970s and an overhaul in this areas is long overdue. The solution is an obvious one. Rather than using a binary system based on placings in stakes races, black-type should only be given to horses that have achieved a specific level of rating. While not every racing nation puts as much emphasis on ratings as they do in Great Britain and Ireland, they are unquestionably the best way to rank and categorise horses based on their level of form. What are the most appropriate thresholds for each age group can be debated, but in the case of 3-year-olds or older for example, only awarding lower-case black-type to those that achieved an official rating of at least 100 and upper-case Black-Type to those that reached 110 would make catalogue pages a far better guide to actual merit. The mechanisms to process this kind of information are already in place. The majority of major racing nations already have rating-based quality-control systems that dictate what races earn and retain black-type status. As well as that, the official handicappers of the racing world already pool their data together to produce the World’s Best Racehorses Rankings on 10 separate occasions each year. While it would take an expansion of these processes to include lower-rated horses, the hard part of getting all the racing nations down at the same table and operating on the same system has already been done. Expansion of that system is the natural progression of it. Indeed, if a rating-based black-type system was adapted, there would be scope there to retrofit historical results to bring past results up to the same standard of scrutiny, as centrally-assessed international ratings have been compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities for well over 20 years in most major racing nations and as far back as 1977 in Britain, Ireland and France. While on the subject of updating outdated systems, wouldn’t sales catalogues be far more useful if they carried details of each horse’s peak rating and what trip that rating was achieved over? One can only imagine how many thousands of hours are spent by bloodstock professionals marking up their catalogues with this basic information or indeed paying for pre-marked catalogues from the various commercial entities that produce them. If they can be readily produced by the commercial market, why isn’t there more of a push for this level of information to become standard in all catalogues? Space may be at a premium on catalogue pages, but a peak rating and what distance it was achieved over would only take up a few characters. In many cases, this information would be far more pertinent than other details regularly listed in catalogues such as prize money earned or the names of the races won. One suspects that the first sales company to integrate higher-quality data into their catalogues will gain a lot of kudos in the bloodstock world for doing so. Given how competitive that particular sector is, the biggest surprise is that one of them hasn’t already taken the leap. All told, there is great scope for both the black-type system and cataloguing standards to be modernised, refined and improved for the benefit of all stakeholders. The means to make the suggested changes are already there, it will just take those with the power to implement them to show the forward-looking will to do so. If you’re interested in providing feedback contact Kevin Blake on Twitter @kevinblake2011. Or send your opinion to Gary King garyking@thetdn.com. The post TDN Op/Ed: the Black-Type System and Cataloguing Standards are Ripe for Overhaul appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A stirring battle between two division rivals, a victory by a shipper from Northeast Ohio, and a big day for jockey Jose Ortiz capped the return of the MATCH Series to Delaware Park as part of its Delaware Handicap Day program July 13. View the full article

1st-Saratoga, $90,000, Msw, 7-14, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1.45.87 fm SWEET MELANIA (f, 2, American Pharoah–Sweet N Discreet, Discreet Cat) became the fifth winner for her freshman sire (by Pioneerof the Nile) when she exploded down the lane to take the opener at Saratoga. Bet down as the 8-5 favorite in her third career start and turf debut, the $600,000 KEESEP purchase tracked the pacesetter in second through a leisurely early pace of :25.61 and :52.15 before striking the front at the quarter pole. The chestnut streaked to the wire under jockey Jose Ortiz to secure the win by 3-lengths over first time starter Morning Gold (Morning Line). Sweet Melania is out of the graded stakes-placed mare Sweet N Discreet (Discreet Cat), who is a full-sister to graded stakes winner Discreet Dancer and a half to graded stakes victor Travelin Man (Trippi). Sales history: $600,000Yrl’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-2. O-Robert & Lawana Low. B-St. Elias Stables LLC (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. The post American Pharoah Filly Takes to the Saratoga Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Karis Teetan put the perfect finishing touches on what was already a breakout season at Sha Tin on Sunday, notching his 300th winner in Hong Kong.The Mauritian rode a brilliant treble on the final day of the season, capping off a remarkable year which ended with 84 winners and a maiden Group One victory – a clear career best.Teetan brought up his 300th winner in the Class Four All You Wish Handicap (1,400m) with the Caspar Fownes-trained Have Fun Together and then wasted no time bringing… View the full article

Caspar Fownes has called on the Jockey Club to upgrade the training facilities at Sha Tin and provide better options for horses who struggle to handle the firm tracks.The two-time champion trainer put forward his case after a treble at the final meeting of the season – using the example of two of his winners – Have Fun Together and Defining Moment.Fownes said the addition of the Conghua facility provided an option for horses like them, but he wants to take it to another level.“Both those horses… View the full article