Wandering Eyes

With opening day at Del Mar only a week away, the status of Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer still remains up in the air as officials at the San Diego-area track have yet to make any official announcement regarding whether or not he will be allowed to race there. Whether or not Hollendorfer will be able to compete at Del Mar became an issue after he was banned at Santa Anita and told to take all of his horses off the grounds after a fourth horse under his care had to be euthanized during the meet that concluded June 25. Santa Anita’s decision fell under the category of “house rules.” The California Horse Racing Board did not take any action against Hollendorfer and he is currently not serving any suspension. Many of his horses were relocated to Los Alamitos, where he was allowed to stable and race. In the meantime, Hollendorfer, his lawyer Drew Couto and Del Mar officials have been very careful about what they will and will not say about the situation. However, with time running out before the first race is run at Del Mar and with the New York Racing Association’s apparent decision to also ban Hollendorfer, there was speculation Del Mar would join Santa Anita and NYRA in their decision not to allow Hollendorfer to compete. That may still be the case, but when the TDN asked Del Mar CEO Joe Harper whether or not Hollendorfer will be able to race at the meet, he replied “never say never.” “We’ve had a couple of meetings and the ball is in Jerry’s court,” Harper said. “We are still looking to come up with an agreement that both Jerry Hollendorfer and Del Mar can agree to.” Harper declined to elaborate on what might be going on behind close doors and what it would take for Del Mar to allow Hollendorfer to race. He also declined to elaborate on why the “ball” might be in Hollendorfer’s “court,” when it would seem that the decision rests solely with Del Mar. Couto told the TDN while Del Mar has yet to tell him definitely that his client will not been given stalls for the meet, they have yet to allocate any stalls to him as of Tuesday. “I don’t know that anything official has been said,” Couto said. “We have had a lot of candid discussions with Del Mar, which we appreciate. So far they have not been able to get over this ‘PR risk hurdle.’ We know that they are exceedingly uncomfortable and that’s where it’s at. “Have they given him stalls? No. Have they made any announcements? No. But the discussions we have had with them is that they are exceedingly uncomfortable with doing so (allocating stalls to Hollendorfer) because of the PR risks. “Del Mar feels it is a PR risk they don’t feel they can take despite the fact there’s no suspension, there’s no action against him and that over the past three years Del Mar has great numbers when it comes to horse safety and Jerry has been a big part of that. He has never been a problem as far as Del Mar is concerned. In fact, they think very highly of him. But our understanding is they don’t want to manage the possible PR problems that would come with giving him stalls.” Though Couto did not sound confident regarding Hollendorfer’s situation at Del Mar, he, too, was not ready to give up hope that his client will be able to race at the meet. “Everybody has been trying to explore pragmatic solutions to the problem and no one has completely given up hope on that prospect yet,” he said. “But if we are unable to come up with a pragmatic solution, then there are contractual provisions between Del Mar and the horsemen’s groups, in particular the the CTT (California Thoroughbred Trainers), that provide for processes to deal with these types of situations. I know the CTT is active in suggesting that this processes need to be followed on Jerry’s behalf. If Del Mar is not motivated to do that, one would then have to consider what other options there are for Jerry to protect his interests. At this point, everything is on the table and we are considering everything.” One possibility is that Hollendorfer could be denied stalls at Del Mar yet still be allowed to race there. According to Couto, whether or not an entry is denied falls under the duties of the stewards and not racetrack management. All three stewards at Del Mar are employed by the California Horse Racing Board. “This is my position, the entries are controlled by the stewards,” he said. “If the stewards deny him entries, that’s an action by the California Horse Racing Board. The Horse Racing Board has taken no action against him and they cannot arbitrarily decline somebody’s entries because a racetrack says they have PR concerns. State actions involve due process and state actions are held to different standards than one might argue a private association can do. If the stewards decline to take his entries, then we have a whole different ball game that involves a state action and it becomes a monumental mess for everyone.” Further complicating the Hollendorfer-Del Mar situation is the fact that the state of California owns the property that is home to the racetrack. Couto said that means Del Mar is not a private business, like Santa Anita is, and does not have the same rights that private businesses have to ban someone. The post At Del Mar, The Door Might be Open a Crack to Allow Hollendorfer to Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s newest exhibition, Women in Racing, opens to the public Saturday, July 20. The Museum acknowledges the support of the Edward P. Evans Foundation in underwriting this special exhibit, which details the role women have played in the sport of Thoroughbred racing for more than a century. Featuring artwork, photography, and multimedia from the Museum collection and on loan, Women in Racing honors the pioneers and trailblazers of the past and the modern women who are currently thriving in the sport as owners, breeders, jockeys, trainers, executives, media, and numerous other disciplines. Exhibition highlights include a timeline of firsts celebrating the milestone achievements of women of the sport; artifacts from the career of trailblazing jockey Wantha Davis; Frances Genter’s pillbox hat worn during Unbridled’s Kentucky Derby victory; items from Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone’s historic Belmont S. victory aboard Colonial Affair; the inaugural Diana H. trophy won by the first licensed female trainer Mary Hirsch; and artifacts and portraits relating to every woman inducted into the Hall of Fame, including 2019 Hall of Fame Pillars of the Turf inductees Gladys Mills Phipps, Helen Hay Whitney, and Marylou Whitney. An interactive exhibit featuring race footage and short films will also be available for visitors to explore. The post Women in Racing Exhibition Opens July 20 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame's newest exhibition, Women in Racing, opens to the public Saturday, July 20. View the full article

Lucy Horner, champion lady amateur jockey in 2008/09 and runner-up for that title in 2010/11, has died aged 42. Horner rode 28 winners under rules in Britain and retired from the saddle in 2011. A statement from the Amateur Jockeys Association read, “It is with great sadness that the Amateur Jockeys Association learned of Lucy Horner’s untimely death last weekend, and we send our deepest condolences to her mother and family. “With a military background in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Lucy was Champion Lady Amateur NH Jockey in 2008/09 with a seasonal total of 11 wins and also runner-up in 2010/11 to Gina Andrews. Lucy was a pioneer of the UK’s lady jump jockeys and rode a total of 28 winners under rules at home as well as point-to-point winners. She also represented the UK abroad, riding in Ireland in 2008 and in the USA, both independently in Kentucky [three Flat and five timber wins] and as part of the Fegentri series in 2010. Lucy also won in cross-country races at Le Touquet and Dieppe. “A serious eye problem interrupted Lucy’s riding career in 2009 and brought it to a premature end in 2011, but she will always be remembered as a talented lady jump jockey who helped to forge a path for the betterment of future female weighing room colleagues.” The post Champion Amateur Rider Horner Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horserace Betting Levy Board will reduce its expenditure for the 2019 calendar year to £94-million, cutting £5-million. The board will end prizemoney boosts and reduce funding for its raceday services grant budget, but noted it expected those expenditures to still be higher than in 2018. A proposed new scheme for the benefit of the British breeding industry is not expected to involve any material drawdown of Levy funds in 2019. Projects that will still receive funding from the Levy board include sectional timing and track data; it will contribute £900,000 to support these features at every British fixture by the end of 2021. In addition, the board’s budget for industry recruitment and education has grown by £1-million to £3.1-million, and Great British Racing will receive £1.4-million to build its 2018 National Campaign. The Racecourse Owners’ Association’s Ownership Strategy Project will receive £790,000 from the board, and £650,000 will go to the new independent Equine Welfare Board and the Racing Futures Project. The post Levy Board Cuts £5-Million From Expenditure appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It was great to see Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) come back and make such a great start to her season at Sandown and it’s been a while since I saw such scenes where people were running to catch a glimpse of her in the winners’ enclosure with people five and six deep around the paddock. She is a great champion and just has that wow factor and the ‘Frankie’ association then brings it to another level. I spoke to Frankie on Saturday night and he said she’s very good for racing and you couldn’t argue with that. Frankie is one of the faces of racing and for him to be paired up with such a brilliant racehorse can only be good for the game. He’s made for a horse like Enable and you can see the fondness he has for her. I can’t not mention John Gosden and it was a fantastic training performance to bring her back as good as ever. Some people doubted her ability to successfully drop back to 10 furlongs, but Frankie said she could have put the race to bed at the three-furlong marker, but he wanted to wait until two from home before pressing the button. She had proper racehorses flat to the boards behind her at that stage. In my opinion, she could be effective over even shorter if they wanted, though that will never happen. That’s what sets those very good horses apart, they possess so much pace and she has speed to burn as well as the stamina to get a mile and a half. She is just an exceptionally good racehorse. Too Darn Hot Fulfills Juvenile Promise Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) then showed what he was capable of in Deauville on Sunday in the G1 Prix Jean Prat. When I saw Too Darn Hot at The Curragh before he ran in the Irish 2000 Guineas, I must admit I thought he looked more like a sprinter/miler type than a middle distance horse. To me he looks fast and he’s a compact horse in the mold of a sprinter and he showed that on Sunday. I think John Gosden was quite self-critical over trying to stretch him out in trip, but his pedigree would suggest he would get a mile and a half and that is probably what led connections astray with that experiment. If he keeps progressing, he could still end up being the leading 3-year-old this year. Now that they have found his trip, there are plenty of exciting opportunities for him between now and the end of the year. Falcon Eight Climbing the Stayers’ Ranks I was delighted to see Falcon Eight (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) win the Listed Coral Marathon at Sandown for Dermot Weld and Moyglare Stud. I’ve ridden him in a few bits of work recently, so it was good to see him go and win. I’m pleased for Moyglare to have another good stayer on their hands. Hopefully he can progress from that to something like an Irish St Leger. One day he can definitely be an Ascot Gold Cup horse, as he will go that extreme distance of two and a half miles. He’s been a bit of a slow burner–Saturday was only the fifth start of his life–and he’s obviously got a brilliant pedigree. He seems to be getting it together now and he can give connections a lot of fun in all those big staying races. It’s funny though, as if you asked me about him two years ago I wouldn’t have been quite as enthusiastic about him. I rode him quite a few times as a 2-year-old before I got sick and I honestly thought he was very average. I even told Dermot and Eva Bucher-Haefner that in my opinion he was no good and I don’t think I was that bad a judge in the mornings. He was a very idle, lazy worker and he gave me no feel at all and he even runs like that today. But it just shows you that horses can be very deceiving and Dermot has had great patience with him. Dermot excels with horses like this, he gave him all the time he needed to come to himself and now he is being rewarded. If you had put my neck on the line two years ago, I would have said he was of very average ability but saying that, I’d much prefer one that shows you nothing in the morning but shows up at the races in the afternoon. I’ve ridden plenty of morning wonders who then let you down on the track and I’d much prefer those lazier types who keep their best for a race. Stall Handlers and Stalls Practice Crucial Another topic that I am keen to focus on is the great work done by stalls handlers and how important stalls practice is in the preparation of a horse. Whether it’s a sprint or a long distance race, the start is crucial and while you may not necessarily win a race at the start, you can certainly lose a race at the start. I really want to highlight the importance of the stall handler’s job and I don’t think they get the recognition for the work they do. It’s not just about loading the horses as quickly as possible, but it’s about being ready to act if a horse gets upset in the stalls. It’s a very enclosed environment and in mid-summer when it’s quite warm horses can get claustrophobic and agitated, especially in big runner handicaps when they can be stood in the stalls for a long time. That’s when you need stalls handlers to be at their best, they get to know a lot of the horses and they become aware of their quirks and when things do go wrong and a horse gets upset you are totally dependent on the stalls team to react and try to calm that horse down. I’ve been in situations like that before and it can be scary. I also think in Ireland there should be more stall handlers employed, especially on the days with bigger fields. When you look at the likes of America, Australia or Hong Kong they seem to have more personnel down at the start and I think that is something that the authorities here could look at. There is great work being done in Ireland, but I do think we could have more manpower down at the start. On a related topic, I think a lot of trainers in this part of the world don’t do enough stalls practice with horses. I’ve ridden horses that have been quite unruly at the start and a lot of that is down to a lack of match practice. Again, in other jurisdictions, stalls work is part of the training regime and they regularly just go and stand in the starting gates for periods of time. I do think trainers over here could do even more stalls work than they currently do. It can only be for their own benefit as well, as it comes back to my previous point on how important it is to break smartly from the stalls. In years gone past, I’ve often come back in to a trainer who was annoyed his horse didn’t get a clean break, something that may have cost the horse the race. Nine times out of 10 that is the horse’s fault not the jockey’s, and is something that could have been avoided with more schooling at home. The post Smullen: Enable, Good for the Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As documented in Emma Berry’s recent TDN Look feature, ‘July week’ sees Newmarket spring to life, as the Tattersalls July Sale and three days of top-class racing draw the crowds back. Parties and stallion parades add to visitors’ social calendars and the week can usually be relied upon having beautiful summer weather, though I’m disappointed to report that may not be the case this year. Those descending upon Park Paddocks are spoilt for choice with a customarily thick catalogue. With six wildcards added to the sale, the number of lots stands at 910, almost on par with last year’s 922. After a large number of withdrawals, as is characteristic of the sale and indeed the case this week, the 2018 turnover stood at 12,074,300 guineas, averaging at 21,485gns per horse, with a median of 10,000gns. These all represented a decrease on 2017, though that week brought record highs to the July Sale. Last year’s three highest-priced lots were well-bred fillies offered by the Castlebridge Consignment, contributing to their standing as leading consignors, and there is every chance that lightning will strike twice this week. Among their 68 catalogued is the wildcard At Last (Ire), lot 177A, a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to dual Group 1 winner and sire sensation Zoustar (Aus). Castlebridge also offers Mouille Point (GB) (Motivator {GB}) as lot 178; she is a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Turning Light, now the dam of listed winner Surrey Star. The 5-year-old is offered in foal to Kodiac (GB). The other wildcards added to the sale are horses in training and are sure to be popular, including listed winner Apex King (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 500A) from David Loughnane Racing, fellow listed winner Cosmelli (Ity) (Mr Vegas {Ire}) (lot 798A) from Gay Kelleway Racing and German Group 3 scorer Brian Ryan (GB) (Finjaan {GB}) (lot 798B) from Ecurie Andrea Marcialis. A last-minute addition on Tuesday is the Keith Dalgleish-trained Volatile Analyst (Distorted Humor), (lot 560A), following his debut success at Ayr on Monday. As well as the wildcards, there are numerous eye-catching lots, among them lot 258, Jim Bolger’s ultra-consistent 6-year-old Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Since the catalogue was printed, he produced a career-best performance to take the G2 Curragh Cup, bringing his stakes-winning tally to four. Another making the trip over from Ireland, though this time offered by Joseph O’Brien’s Carriganog Racing, is Eminent Authority (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). A winner on debut in May, he followed up with a close third at listed level before finishing fifth in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot. From the same draft comes lot 186, King’s Field (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a 4-year-old colt and three-time winner who progressed to gain listed placing in the Owenstown Stud S. in May. Another benefitting from a black-type update is the 3-year-old colt Admiral Rous (Ire) (Henrythenavigator), offered as lot 281 from Eoghan O’Neill. A three-time winner, he finished third in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac at Chantilly on his latest start. The Archie Watson-trained Barys (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 562) is also a proven stakes performer, successful in the Listed Prix de la Californie in February, while the Ger Lyons-trained Inverleigh (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) (lot 824) took the Listed Committed S. at Navan earlier this season. Lot 191, Chesapeake Shores (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), is catalogued as a horse in training by the Fozzy Stack stable, but the 3-year-old filly will also appeal to breeders, being a three-parts sister to G1 Irish Derby hero Frozen Fire (Ger) (Montjeu {Ire}). A fine third since the catalogue went to print, she shares her sire with 3-year-old winner Kahina (Ire) (lot 172), a half-sister to G1 Metropolitan H. victor Magic Hurricane (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}). Another who may catch the eye of Southern Hemisphere buyers is Queen Of Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (lot 286), a half-sister to G1 Queensland Derby heroine Dariana (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), whose second dam Sorbus (Busted) finished second in four Classics. Wamathaat (Speightstown) (lot 67), meanwhile, boasts a North American page, her half-sisters being GI Santa Anita H. scorer Gift Box (Twirling Candy) and multiple graded winner Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast). Though unraced, Wamathaat is presumably an impressive physical, having cost $550,000 as a yearling. The family of lot 175, Bubbly (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), knows Park Paddocks well, with the Castlebridge-consigned filly being a half-sister to listed winner Marlinka (GB) (Marju {Ire}), now better known as the dam of top-class sprinter Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who set a new record when selling for six million guineas in this very sales ring. Marlinka has also produced Group 3 winner Judicial (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and is out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Soviet Song (Ire) (Marju {Ire}). Coverings can be just as attractive as pedigrees, and the two mares offered in foal to Showcasing will, no doubt, be in demand. The first, lot 75, is proven on both the racecourse and in the breeding shed, with Syan (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}) having been placed at listed level and having produced to Stakes performer Dutch Treat (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). The second, lot 85, is offered by the stallion’s base of Whitsbury Manor Stud. Blanchefleur (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) won as a 3-year-old and is closely related to listed winner and Group 1 third Miss You Too (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). Dandy Man (Ire) continues to go from strength to strength and amongst the mares offered in foal to the Ballyhane Stud sire is lot 70 from Kirtlington Park Stud, the winning mare Al Jamal (GB) (Authorized {Ire}). She is a half-sister to Grade I heroine She’s A Julie (Elusive Quality) and to the dam of listed winner Ambassadorial. No less exciting are the coverings by first season sires, including the Newmarket-based GI Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Expert Eye (GB), who will be doubly represented on Wednesday by lot 53, a winning half-sister to three black-type horses, and lot 78, a winning daughter of Mastercraftsman (Ire) from the family of Durtal and Roderic O’Connor (Ire). Multiple Group 1 winner Cracksman (GB), who stood for £25,000 at Dalham Hall Stud this season, has just one covering catalogued, as lot 156 from Jamie Railton. Trend Line (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), is the dam of two winners from two runners and comes from the top family of Darshaan, Dar Re Mi (GB) and Too Darn Hot (GB). Shadwell Stud consign two of the three mares offered in foal to champion sprinter Harry Angel (Ire) and they include lot 60, a half-sister to another top-class sprinter in Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil), as well as to the dam of Group 1 performer First Contact (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). One of the July Sale’s ‘cover girls’ is Seeking Solace, dam of Ten Sovereigns, who was bought by BBA Ireland for 65,000gns from Godolphin. Those returning to the source of such riches have 21 fillies and mares to choose from, after withdrawals, at the time of writing. One of those of obvious appeal is lot 135, Isobel Archer (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who appeals on paper as a winning full-sister to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Naaqoos (GB), and is offered in foal to Saxon Warrior (Jpn). The post Worldwide Appeal At Tattersalls July appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

HOKKAIDO, Japan—Though Monday’s yearling session of the JRHA Select Sale broke records in most sectors it proved to be a mere warm-up act for the foal session, which followed suit in even more ebullient fashion with record turnover of ¥9.78 billion (£72m/€80.2m/$89.8m) and average of ¥50.4 million (£371,286/€413,262/$462,765). Clearance rate had reached an all-time high last year and climbed further still to 89.8%, with 194 foals sold from the 216 put through the ring alongside a set of A-list broodmares. The JRHA vice-chairman and Shadai Farm principal Teruya Yoshida took over the end-of-sale statement duties from his brother on Tuesday and paid tribute to Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm, which dominated both the catalogue and the trade on both days. On Tuesday, it was responsible for the eight top lots. Yoshida added, “A number of foreign buyers have told me that this is the best sale in the world. Our graduates have won many Group 1 races and really shown their quality around the world.” He continued, “Turnover was higher than last year even through the number offered for the foal session was lower than the previous year, but I think that the quality of foals offered today was really high. There are many owners dreaming of owning good horses and wanting to enjoy racing, which makes the sport even more attractive.” For the sale as a whole, a new benchmark was posted with an aggregate of ¥20.5 billion (£151m/€168m/$188.2m), up from ¥17.9 billion in 2018. The 416 horses sold was just one more than last year and posted an average of ¥49.3 million (£363,182/€404,242/$452,665) representing an incredibly strong clearance rate of 91.4%. At the eve-of-sale party on Sunday, Yoshida had exhorted his guests to empty their wallets at the sale and, seemingly, many yielded to his request. Northern Exposure The foal session at Northern Horse Park genuinely is a sale like no other. As day breaks, the mares and foals arrive from their home farms and from 8am a two-hour inspection session is held—generally a last-minute confirmation stage for those who has already seen the sale entrants a number of times at home. Confidence had been high at Northern Farm on Saturday that their colt by champion sire Deep Impact (JPN) out of Titan Queen (Tiznow) (lot 358) would be the foal to beat all-comers and that assessment was not misplaced as the half-brother to three graded stakes winners, including GII Santa Ynez S. victrix Renee’s Titan, brought the hammer down at ¥470 million (£3.45m/€3.85m/$4.27m). After buying the ¥360 million Deep Impact yearling which topped the previous day’s trade, owner Riichi Kondo, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer, had warned that he was planning to strike again on Tuesday and it proved no idle boast as his name also appeared next to the most expensive foal of the session. Kondo prefers to give his verdict at the end of the day’s session and in company with his persuasive trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, he told the assembled media, “This colt was Mr Tomomichi’s best pick. He has been inspecting the horse for two weeks and he was very eager for us to buy him. The price fell within my expectations.” The businessman added, “I had cancer therapy two weeks ago so I am very glad to be back at this sale because I didn’t think I could be here a few weeks ago. This market represents the quality of the Japanese-bred horse. It looks expensive but I think it’s a fair price.” Across the two days of the sale Kondo signed for five yearlings and four foals for a total of ¥1.13 billion (£8.33m/€9.27m/$10.38m). Danox In Deep Through his Danox Co. Ltd., Masahiro Noda, whose many successful horses in training carry the Danon prefix, had signed for four yearlings during the first day of the sale and he made an even bigger splash in the foal pool when buying the second-top lot of the day (400), another Deep Impact colt from Northern Farm, this one a brother to the dual Grade II winner and Japan Cup runner-up Denim And Ruby (JPN). His unraced dam Venenciador (JPN) (King Kamehameha {JPN}) is a half-sister to the champion racemare To The Victory (JPN) (Sunday Silence), whose exploits as stud have been almost as impressive, with three stakes winners to her credit. With a strong page behind him, the colt sold at ¥290 million (£2.13m/€2.38m/$2.66m) to lead the Danox list of purchases of six foals which featured yet another Deep Impact colt (lot 423) out of GIII Suwannee River S. winner Tammy The Torpedo (More Than Ready), who immediately followed another signing lot 422, the lone Frankel (GB) representative. The Frankel colt is the first foal of American champion female sprinter Finest City (City Zip) and sold from Northern Farm for ¥100 million (£736,201/€820,040/$919,256), while the Deep Impact colt (423) who followed him into the ring brought a decent return of ¥180 million (£1.32m/€1.47m/$1.65m) for Dr Masatake Iida’s Chiyoda Farm, one of the few to disrupt the stream of Northern Farm consignees near the top of the list. Good Lord Lord Kanaloa (JPN), whose daughter Almond Eye (JPN) set a new record time in the G1 Japan Cup before following up with overseas victory in the G1 Dubai Turf, is certainly the sire in favour for Yoshihisa Ozasa, who as an investment fund manager should know a thing or two about making sound financial decisions. The owner spent a total of ¥480 million (£3.5m/€3.9m/$4.4m) on a pair of colts by the Shadai stallion, the more expensive of the two being lot 382, the son of four-time winner Admire Temba (JPN), a Kurofune half-sister to young sire Duramente (JPN). Ozasa repeated a refrain heard on a number of occasions at this sale when saying, “This was my trainer’s recommendation. He was very keen for me to buy him so I thought it was my duty to do so. Last year I bought many by King Kamehameha but this year I was keen to have more progeny by his son Lord Kanaloa because he was a very fast horse and he works well with Sunday Silence line mares. It was more than I expected to pay for him.” That sum was ¥270 million (£2m/€2.2m/$2.5m) and only time will tell whether or not it turns out to have been money well spent but if early judgements are anything to go by the dark grey colt looks to have a rock-solid temperament to back up his strong pedigree. In a custom unique to this sale—as far as this correspondent is aware—the buyers of the foals and yearlings are offered the chance to be photographed with their new purchases as soon as the horses leave the ring. A bank of photographers and film crew are lined up at the ready and a team of helpers are employed by the sales company to arrange legs for conformation photos and wave toy hobby horses to ensure the horses’ ears are pricked. This particular foal struck the perfect pose for at least ten minutes, first on his own, then with an entire family, including four small children, who then broke away to crowd around the foal and pat him. If his demeanour at the racecourse is as unflinching as it was on the sales ground then he looks a surefire champion. This colt was the third purchase of the day for Ozasa, who had earlier gone to ¥210 million (£1.5m/€1.7m/$1.9m) for lot 320, the Lord Kanaloa grandson of Japanese champion To The Victory (JPN) (Sunday Silence), as well as signing for the following lot (321) by Lord Kanaloa’s recently pensioned sire King Kamehameha. The Okada Stud-consigned colt is a son of the listed-winning Hector Protector mare Two Days Notice (JPN) and was bought for ¥90 million (£663,892/€738,275/$826,986). Not naming either trainer in question, Ozasa said of his other Lord Kanaloa colt, “Another trainer picked this one. He is out of Agehibari and I really like the bottom line of his pedigree. I am really looking forward to seeing how he improves in the future. I have spent all my money but hopefully I will buy one more!” The budget indeed took a bit of a battering as the owner ended the day as the leading foal buyer with seven individuals to his name for a total of ¥922 million (£6.8m/€7.6m/$8.5m). Drefong’s Impressive Debut The Grade 1-winning sprinter Drefong (Gio Ponti) was brought from America to stand at the Shadai Stallion Station and he made his mark near the top of the leaderboard with a member of his first crop (lot 344), a son of the five-time winner and stakes-placed Admire Sceptre (JPN), a sister of the sire’s barn mate Duramente (JPN). Sold from Northern Farm to Toyomokuzai for ¥250 million (£1.8m/€2m/$2.3m), the colt was one of 13 foals in the sale by his sire. Twelve of those sold for an average of ¥57 million (£419,907/€467,380/$523,365) from Drefong’s stud fee of ¥3 million. Leading Ladies Makoto Kaneko was in pursuit of a number of yearlings by his former star performer Deep Impact on Monday and he acquired the first foal (lot 373) of the rags-to-riches Australian mare Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) for ¥210 million (£1.5m/€1.7m/$1.9m). A dual Group 1 winner in Australia, where she was also runner-up to Capitalist (Aus) in the Golden Slipper, Yankee Rose was initially purchased as a yearling for A$10,000 by the Darby Racing syndicate and later sold privately to Katsumi Yoshida, who consigned her filly foal through his Northern Farm. One of the foals to have attracted the most media attention during the morning’s inspection session was the half-brother to Japan’s former Horse of the Year Gentildonna (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}). Consigned by his breeder Northern Farm as lot 338, the colt from the first crop of Shadai’s Kitasan Black (JPN) stood calmly alongside his Group 1-winning dam Donna Blini (GB) (Bertolini) and was later sold for ¥160 million (£1.2m/€1.3m/$1.45m) to Hiroki Company, which has recently received its JRA owner’s licence. International Involvement Gai Waterhouse is a regular visitor to the JRHA Select Sale with her husband Rob and the trainer returned to familiar ground with her purchase of lot 337, a son of Rulership (JPN), for ¥25 million (£184,420/€205,076/$229,714). The colt was not only by the same stallion but also from the same consignor, Chiyoda Farm, as her 2015 signing Hush Writer (JPN), one of five foals she bought through Satomi Oka Bloodstock in Hokkaido that year. He went on to become his sire’s first runner and first winner in France when trained by Francis Graffard before changing country again to join Waterhouse in Australia. Along with being placed in the G2 Prix Hocquart, Hush Writer recently won the listed McKell Cup at Rosehill and is on target for Flemington in the Australian spring. “We liked very much what we saw and we were able to buy him at the right price, so we thought he was good value,” said Waterhouse of her latest acquisition. “Hopefully he might be able to be even more successful than Hush Writer, who is heading back to Melbourne in the hope that he will be able to qualify for with the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups.” She added, “This colt will be trained here in Japan first but with anything we buy here the aim is for them to come to Australia eventually. The Japanese breeders have been able to secure the best racemares in the world over a number of decades. I know from my own stable that they only buy Group 1 winners and they have a very good product that they do incredibly well with.” New York-based Irishman John McCormack is another JRHA regular and he stepped in to buy lot 389, a Heart’s Cry (JPN) out of Princessofthestars (Ire), a winning daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) from the Kilfrush Stud family of Mill Princess (GB). Bred in Ireland by Yasushi Rokuroda’s Taihei Stud Farm, the mare was trained for her breeder by John Gosden and later exported to Japan. Her daughter, offered through Taihei, was bought for ¥19 million (£140,153/€155,855/$174,589) on behalf of Gary Barber. “You only need to see the quality and that’s from the high level of prize-money,” said McCormack. “Everything is reflected down from the prize-money on offer and this sale is all relative to what the horses can make on the track. You don’t have to be a really good horse to win $2 million here in Japan. The Japanese don’t miss in terms of the mares that they buy—they source good racemares from around the world and they find out very quickly what works here and then they fine-tune everything.” MV Magnier agreed with the agent’s view and added, “It’s incredible the amount of Japanese owners here to buy and the clearance rate has reflected that. But it all comes down to prize-money. Everywhere that prize-money is good they have a very good market.” He continued, “The horses look fantastic and the hospitality here at this sale is second to none.” While Magnier did not make any purchases, the list of overseas buyers during the foal session included Thomas Li of Macau, Glanlough Investments, Rifa Mustang and Zhang Yuesheng of Chinese-owned Yulong Investments. American-based Canadian owner-breeder Charles E. Fipke picked up lot 409, the Lord Kanaloa daughter of American Oaks winner Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) for ¥84 million (£619,627/€689,047/$771,881) from Northern Farm. The post JRHA Select Sale Ends On Record High appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Alberto Sanna could not bring himself to watch the win of Ruletheroost when he was off injured in April but believes it would be one of his favourite moments if he was able to win on him at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.The jockey has been through a season from hell with a string of serious injuries costing him months on the sidelines, but said the owners of the four-year-old have stuck with him through thick and thin.Sanna had the option to ride other well-credentialed horses in the Class… View the full article

Million-dollar Karaka yearling, Conqueror, broke maiden ranks in impressive fashion when demolishing his rivals by seven lengths over 1400m at Pakenham on Tuesday for the Lindsay Park team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig. The two-year-old colt by Fastnet Rock out of Group One winning Savabeel mare Diademe sports the navy blue colours of Coolmore who race the colt in conjunction with some high-profile partners. Sent out a $1.45 favourite, Conqueror comfortably found the lead in the hands... View the full article

Trainer Shane Bown will have a trio of runners line-up at Saturday’s Trentham meeting with Chocolate Fish, Rayas and Zedace to represent the stable. He discusses his runners chances with Radio Trackside’s Des Coppins. ... View the full article

First-year trainer Chrissy Bambry discusses the debut victory of smart two-year-old Lord Bouzeron at Awapuni last Saturday. Bambry has had just 35 starters for 6 winners since taking out her trainers’ licence earlier this year.... View the full article

Matamata horseman Toby Autridge will send seven-year-old gelding Tommyra to Trentham on Saturday to contest the Anuka Smoker Wellington Hurdle (3400m).... View the full article

Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler is making the trek north to Trentham on Saturday with a trio of runners in Adequacy, Lil Miss Swiss and Flying Sardine. He previews his runners prospects with Radio Trackside’s Des Coppins. ... View the full article

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Wellfield Lodge is encouraging broodmare owners to ‘breed with confidence’ this year after announcing their stallion fees for the upcoming season. The Manawatu farm will stand each of their three resident stallions Alamosa, Road to Rock and Vespa, at $5000+GST. As an added bonus, the farm are offering any breeder that sends two mares to the same stallion an additional incentive. When two mares owned by the same entity are sent to the same stallion, the first mare in foal will be at a cost of... View the full article

Hong Kong racing will offer record prizemoney of HK$1.3 billion (NZ$246.5 million) for the 2019/20 season. Lucrative increases to FWD Champions Day’s three Group One races and the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) feature among the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s upward adjustments revealed today, Tuesday, 9 July. The FWD Champions Day fixture has proven to be a huge success in two editions so far. In keeping with its world class status, the Gr.1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) has received a HK$1 mill... View the full article

Trainer Peter Lock has resisted the temptation to bring talented galloper Hiflyer back into work. The Group One performer is currently spelling after suffering a back injury. “He had a pulled muscle over his back and he is right now,” Lock said. “The vets had a look at him and said he could probably come into work now but I am going to give him a good break and let him strengthen. “He has done extremely well on his break and they have done a great job at the place where he is.” Hiflyer... View the full article

Riccarton trainers Pam and Kevin Hughes are looking forward to welcoming stable star Emily Margaret back into the team next month after her bone-chip operation. A decisive winner of the New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year title, Emily Margaret was sent to Cambridge for surgery after ending her three-year-old campaign with a second behind Secret Allure in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton in early April. “She went up to the Cambridge Equine C... View the full article

The Jockey Club is increasing prize money by HK$80 million virtually across the board next season as it tries to attract better horses and riders to Hong Kong and maintain its standing as one of the world’s leading racing jurisdictions.There will be a total of HK$1.3 billion in prize money up for grabs in 2019-20, an increase of 6.5 per cent on 2018-19, with most races being boosted.The three Group Ones on FWD Champions Day were given a lift – the Champions Mile (HK$20 million) and Chairman’s… View the full article

Byerley Park trainers Peter and Dawn Williams had a memorable season with several quality fillies and they are hoping they can continue that form into the new season. The Gerry Harvey-owned two-year-old Rendition struck her trainers as more of a three-year-old type, but the daughter of Pierro pleasantly surprised them with a string of placings, including a third in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie in April. “She’s had a good season,” Peter Williams said. “We have always t... View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY–Current form proved profitable once again at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale Monday as recent GIII Smile Sprint S. runner-up Jalen Journey (With Distinction) topped the auction on a bid of $510,000 from agent Raymie Lightner, acting on behalf of Rockingham Ranch. Out of 204 catalogued horses, 136 went through the ring and 95 changed hands for a gross of $6,548,500, good for a median of $45,000 and an average of $68,932. Forty-one horses failed to meet their reserves for an RNA rate of 31%. Twenty horses summoned six figures from 19 individual buyers. “The market is exactly what you would expect,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “There was great competition on what were perceived on the higher quality offerings and not as much competition on what were perceived as the lower quality offerings. The competition in a Horses of Racing Age catalogue changes dramatically from year to year. I thought the market was fair tonight.” Two of the more fancied entities, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Fierce Lady (Competitive Edge) and undefeated More Roses (Uncle Mo), were among the group that left the ring unsold. The former, an impressive debut-winning juvenile at Belmont, RNA’d for $725,000, while the two-for-two 3-year-old filly More Roses failed to sell at $485,000. “We obviously missed on a couple of the more expensive horses,” said Browning. “The owners have options. I am sure we will see some of the higher-priced RNAs tonight running in high-quality races in the near future and we wish those connections the best of luck. Hopefully, we get an opportunity to sell them somewhere down the road.” A total of 100 horses found new homes at last year’s renewal of this sale for a gross of $9,318,000. The average was $93,180 and the median was $50,000. The 2018 edition was topped by stakes winner My Miss Tapit (Tapit), who summoned $700,000 from Breeze Easy and was sold by Elite Sales. The horses of racing age sale continued to prove popular with buyers looking to restock ahead of the busy summer racing schedule. “I think the sale serves a real purpose in the calendar, with Saratoga and Del Mar and other opportunities for people wanting to get in and have a nice horse,” said Tony Lacy of Four Star Sales, which sold the topper. “I think it’s fantastic and I think Fasig has done a fantastic job putting it together over the last couple of years. It’s really gained momentum. For that reason, I think these type of horses gain probably a premium. But it’s difficult to find them. The private market is obviously absorbing a lot of horses who are viable, but in saying that, this is a very viable place to bring a horse like Jalen Journey. I think it allows a lot of people to fight over him.” The Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale gets underway Tuesday at 10 a.m. Jalen Journey to Rockingham Ranch Jalen Journey (With Distinction), fresh off a runner-up effort in the June 29 GIII Smile Sprint S., will be joining the barn of trainer Peter Miller after Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch paid $510,000 to acquire the 4-year-old gelding from the Four Star Sales consignment Monday evening at Fasig-Tipton. “He’s just a hell of a nice racehorse,” bloodstock agent Raymie Lightner said after signing the ticket on the bay. “He looks like he’ll be any kind of a horse. Gary was excited about the horse from the start and that’s what I was sticking around for. We’re happy to get him bought.” As for plans for Jalen Journey, Lightner said, “He’s going to Peter Miller and it’s Pete call from here on out.” Jalen Journey (hip 494) graduated against $50,000 maiden claimers at Gulfstream in his second start Mar. 8. He returned to win back-to-back optional claimers in Hallandale Mar. 30 and May 30 and was making his graded stakes debut for Commonwealth Stable and trainer Kathleen O’Connell when second behind Diamond Oops (Lookin at Lucky) in the Smile Sprint. Out of Petunia Face (Congrats), the gelding is a half to stakes winner Derek Adrian (In Summation). His dam is a half to graded stakes winner Yara (Put It Back). Asked if he was surprised to pay that much for the gelding, Lightner said, “We’ve had a lot of good geldings.” Rockingham Ranch campaigns a pair of Eclipse champion geldings; Roy H (More Than Ready) is a two-time sprint champion after winning the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2017 and 2018 and Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) was tabbed champion turf male last year and captured back-to-back renewals of the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in 2017 and 2018. “Jalen has been a superstar,” said Four Star Sales’ Tony Lacy. “He’s proven a lot on the track over the last few months. He’s a real professional and he loves his racing. It’s a lot of money, but it’s difficult to find a horse who can run like that, so consistent and genuine. He’ll be a great Saturday horse for the new owners.” @JessMartiniTDN Orbolution Returns to Her Birthplace Stakes winner Orbolution (Orb) is headed back to familiar territory after selling to her breeder Hinkle Farms for $325,000 at Newtown Paddocks Monday. Henry Hinkle signed the ticket seated alongside his niece Ann Archer. “Well we really loved her as a foal and a yearling and she proved herself on the track,” Archer said of Hip 521. “We didn’t know if we would have a shot to buy her back today, but we were happy to. We love the family.” As for the price, Hinkle said, “It was higher than we intended. We think in the long run, it is a good decision.” Archer added, “If we get a foal out of her that is as nice as she was as a yearling, I think we will be fine.” Hinkle continued, “She was a beautiful yearling herself and she should throw beautiful foals. We will evaluate her but our main long-term interest is a broodmare.” Orbolution is out of GSP MY Rachel (Horse Chestnut {SAf}), who is a half-sister to GISW Jack Milton (War Front) and GSW Peace Preserver (War Front). The Hinkles purchased My Rachel for $125,000 at the 2008 Keeneland November Sale, carrying her first foal by Arch. The resulting foal was MSP Firehouse Red, who in turn produced GSW Draft Pick (Candy Ride {Arg}). My Rachel is also responsible for MSP Rachel’s Ready (More Than Ready). All five of her foals to race are winners, including the 3-year-old colt Pep (City Zip), and the 17-year-old mare has a juvenile filly named Wexx (Declaration of War) and a yearling colt by Honor Code. “The mare is getting a little bit older,” Hinkle said. “We still have the mare, My Rachel, and she has thrown nothing but runners. She has one daughter who is already a graded stakes producer. We just love the family and want to stay in the family. This filly proved herself on the track, so we are really glad to have her back on the farm and in the broodmare band.” Orbolution was purchased by Jack Wolf’s Starlight Racing for $370,000 at Keeneland September and raced as part of the group’s all-female arm known as StarLadies Racing. Trained by Todd Pletcher, who also conditioned her dam on behalf of Steve Young’s A1A Racing, the bay broke her maiden at third asking at Saratoga in 2017 when switched to the turf and stretched to two turns. She followed suit with a win in that term’s P.G. Johnson S. at the Spa and was third in the GIII Miss Grillo S. Off the board in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies that year, Orbolution was benched for all of 2018 and returned at Belmont May 9 of this year, finishing second in an optional claimer, and was third last time at Monmouth June 8. When asked if he was happy with the sale, Wolf said, “Absolutely! That is who we bought the horse from. The Hinkles are involved in the family. I’m really excited they got the horse back.” —@CDeBernardisTDN Fierce Lady a High-Price RNA Fierce Lady (Competitive Edge), tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ off an impressive debut win at Belmont Park, was led out unsold at Fasig-Tipton Monday off a final bid of $725,000, but owners Nice Guy Stables and Steve Hornstock are taking the night to consider a private offer on the juvenile filly. “There is an offer on the table and they are going to think about it overnight,” said consignor Archie St George. “There is huge upside to her. She’s a very fast filly and we’ll just have to see.” Doug Cauthen was bidding out back and, after the filly went through the ring, huddled up with St George and trainer Dermot Magner. The bloodstock agent confirmed he had made a post-sale offer on the filly. Asked if he was surprised the filly hadn’t reached her reserve, St George said, “Yes and no. The number they wanted was obviously big, but they race and she came here with the idea that if she brought what they wanted, great. If not, they can race her. There are plenty of options out there–there is a $200,000 stakes next week.” @JessMartiniTDN Phoenix Buys Out Partners for Kisses Phoenix Thoroughbreds campaigned Splashy Kisses (Blame) in partnership with ERJ Racing, LLC and Dave Kenney, but the operation bought out those partners Monday at Fasig-Tipton to add the multiple graded stakes placed filly to its broodmare band. Denali Stud’s Craig Bandoroff made the winning bid of $240,000 to secure the 3-year-old filly. “She’s going to go back to the farm. She’s done racing and we’ll figure out who she is going to be bred to,” Bandoroff said. “We keep a couple of mares for Phoenix [at Denali] and when [Phoenix’s] Tom [Ludt] told me he was interested, he’s not here, he asked me to take care of it.” Splashy Kisses (hip 548) is out of Indian Valley (Cherokee Run), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes placed Convocation (Pulpit) and from the family of multiple Grade I winner Colour Chart (Mr. Prospector). Purchased by ERJ Racing for $100,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale, the filly was second in the 2018 GII Pocahontas S. and third in this year’s GIII Sweet Life S. While the focus Monday night was mainly on racing prospects, Bandoroff said astute buyers had the opportunity to pick up outstanding broodmare prospects. “I don’t know that people are totally focused on broodmares here, but you don’t steal anything,” he said. “Everybody is sharp and everybody is paying attention.” On the other side of the ledger, Denali Stud sold the 3-year-old filly Summer in Saratoga (Hard Spun), most recently third in a Monmouth Park maiden special weight, for $165,000. “She sold well, a little above projection, but we weren’t surprised,” Bandoroff said. “This filly [Splashy Kisses] was big and pretty and our filly was big and pretty and that takes them a long way.” @JessMartiniTDN The post Jalen Journey Tops Fasig-Tipton HORA Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Record turnover of nearly $100 million was realized during Monday’s yearling section of the Japan Racing Horse Association’s Select Sale at Northern Horse Park on the island of Hokkaido. And is often the case, the young produce of American-sourced broodmares occupied some prominent positions on the sales ledger when the dust settled on day one. Foals are set to go under the hammer during Tuesday’s second and final session, but to follow are some of the highlights from American-bred bloodstock on day one: Hip 64, c, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–Ginger Punch, by Awesome Again, sale price ¥290,000,000 (US$2,636,364) Buyer: Thoroughbred Club Lion Co. Ltd This Mar. 4 foal is the latest produce from Eclipse Award winner Ginger Punch, purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $1.6 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2009. The chestnut is a half-brother to Rouge Buck (Jpn) (Manhattan Cafe {Jpn}), a four-time GSW and runner-up in the 2015 G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks). Ginger Punch is represented by a filly foal by King Kamehameha’s outstanding young son Lord Kanaloa (Jpn). Hip 137, f, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Haveyougoneaway, by Congrats, sale price: ¥130,000,000 (US$1,181,819) Buyer: Yoshihisa Ozasa This Mar. 28 foal is the first from the New York-bred GI Ballerina S. winner Haveyougoneaway, who was acquired by consignor Lake Villa Farm for $1.1 million when offered by Sequel Bloodstock at FTKNOV in 2016. Hip 9, c, Into Mischief–Final Decision, by Super Saver, sale price: ¥80,000,000 (US$727,273) Buyer: Satomi Horse Company Co. Ltd This Apr. 4 foal, produced by a half-sister to champion and GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Informed Decision (Monarchos), was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $425,000 at the 2017 FTKNOV sale. Final Decision’s first Japanese-bred produced is a Heart’s Cry (Jpn) filly foaled May 9. Hip 173, c, Heart’s Cry (Jpn)–Gozzip Girl, by Dynaformer, sale price: ¥74,000,000 (US$672,728) Buyer: Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd. By the sire of dual-surface Grade I winner Yoshida (Jpn), this bay colt is the latest foal out of Gozzip Girl, winner of the 2009 GI American Oaks on the turf and a neck in that year’s GI Ashland S. over the Keeneland Polytrack. Hip 29, f, Duramente (Jpn)–Teddy’s Promise, by Salt Lake, sale price: ¥52,000,000 (US$472,728) Buyer: Masahide Abe From the first crop of the 2015 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner, the filly’s dam posted her biggest victory in the 2011 GI La Brea S. From the family of General Meeting, the Feb. 5 foal is a half-sister to 4-year-old filly Delight Promise (Lemon Drop Kid), a two-time winner in Japan; and My Rhapsody (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), a first-out winner of a 2000-meter newcomers’ event on the turf at Chukyo just this past Sunday (see below, gate 5). The post Recognizable Names Among Top Sellers at JRHA Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Joe Lau’s New Zealand-bred galloper Sacred Capital has confirmed his place as Macau’s Derby favourite with another assertive win in Saturday’s Class 1 & 2 over 1500m. With regular rider Peter Ho in the saddle, Sacred Capital hit the line too well for Éclair Sunshine to win by a neck, with last year’s Derby runner up Royal Garden running on for third. While the winning margin was only a neck it was the manner in which Sacred Capital found the wire. After traveling on the bridle in fourth... View the full article

Nominations for the 2019 Singapore Derby View the full article