Wandering Eyes

LADY APPLE (f, 3, Curlin–Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick) justified even-money favoritism with a gritty score in the GIII Iowa Oaks Friday evening. Pressing Ulele (Candy Ride {Arg}) from second through opening splits of :23.36 and :47.39, the bay drew on even turns with the pacesetter at the top of the stretch and the stage was set. The pair battled stride-for-stride down the line, both refusing to yield, but Lady Apple pushed past a relentless Ulele in the dying strides for a narrow success in 1:43.33. Lady Apple took a few tries to break her maiden, finally breaking through at fifth asking at Oaklawn Feb. 7, and has been on a roll since. Following suit with an optional claimer score in Hot Springs Mar. 23, she won the GIII Fantasy S. there Apr. 12 and was most recently third in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 3. Lifetime Record: 9-4-2-1. O-Phoenix Thoroughbreds III & KatieRich Farms; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. The post Curlin’s Lady Apple Scores in Iowa Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The connections of impressive two-year-old debut winners at Te Rapa and Awapuni on Saturday are eyeing bigger things in the new season. London Bound made a spectacular start to her career in the Win the Group 2 Waikato Guineas (1200m) at Te Rapa. After sitting in last place early in the race, she cruised up behind the leaders approaching the home turn for jockey Craig Grylls. London Bound took over effortlessly at the top of the straight and powered clear, winning by seven lengths from the last... View the full article

Te Rapa specialist Sultan Of Swing struck again at the Hamilton track on Saturday, providing a poignant result in the U S Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate 17 Aug (1600m). Winning jockey Taiki Yanagida wore a black armband over the blue, black and green colours of owner-breeder Dominic Li, whose long-time New Zealand racing manager and friend Maryanne Simon lost her father Jim Mead this week. “It’s a tough time for Maryanne, but I’m pleased the horse could deliver for everybody,” trainer Shaune ... View the full article

When Don Chatlos walked out to the racetrack with OXO Equine's Brill for the $139,500 Victory Ride Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park July 5, it was an experience unlike any other in his life as a horseman. View the full article

Thanks to Royal Charlotte, Chad Brown is sitting rather pretty for Saratoga's $500,000 Longines Test Stakes (G1), the seven-furlong showdown for the 3-year-old division's top female sprinters Aug. 3. View the full article

Thanks to Royal Charlotte, Chad Brown is sitting rather pretty for Saratoga's $500,000 Longines Test Stakes (G1), the seven-furlong showdown for the 3-year-old division's top female sprinters Aug. 3. View the full article

ROYAL CHARLOTTE (f, 3, Cairo Prince–Sass and Class by Harlan’s Holiday) kept her undefeated record intact as she rolled home to her first graded stakes score in Belmont’s GIII Victory Ride S. Friday. The Chad Brown pupil tracked a swift early pace of :22.26 and :44.77. Jockey Javier Castellano swung the gray three-wide around the turn and she rallied down the middle of the stretch to catch Cookie Dough in the final sixteenth, drawing away by three lengths in 1.15.82. Sales history: $70,000 RNA ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0. O-First Row Partners. B-Rhineshire Farm LLC (KY). T-Chad Brown. The post Cairo Prince Filly Stays Perfect in Victory Ride appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chris So’s exciting youngster Classic Unicorn will aim to build on his impressive debut win when he takes his place in the Class 3 Members Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The three-year-old showed immaturity first time out but his talent shone through as he cruised to a comfortable two and three-quarter length win. “He’s a young horse and even you can tell he’s just a baby, he still has to learn,” So said. “He still needs to learn and in his trial he seemed alright, but w... View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today’s Observations features half-sisters to a pair of Group 1 winners. 4.00 Chelmsford, Novice, £9,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 10f (AWT) FLY THE FLAG (GB) (Australia {GB}) is a late starter for Denford Stud and John Gosden, but given that she is a half-sister to Sunday’s G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) that may not prove a problem. The April-foaled grey is not alone in making a debut, with Godolphin’s Last Look (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) being unleashed by Saeed bin Suroor who trained her full-brothers, the illustrious Farhh (GB) and smart Racing History (Ire). The post Observations: July 6, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Easy Does It had to win Friday’s S$50,000 Class 4 race over 1600m in Singapore to keep his Derby dreams alive – and he rose to the occasion in style. With talented apprentice jockey Simon Kok Wei Hoong in the irons, the son of Super Easy was in a striking position right from the start. Dropped into the box seat, he always had leader Cracking Tottie in his sights before popping up as the main threat when he was peeled off for his run at the corner.He did, however, glance past Shadow Speed twi... View the full article

5th-Ellis, $30,185, Msw, 7-5, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.97, fm. ENVIED (f, 2, American Pharoah–Halljoy {Ire} {GSP}, by Halling) became the fourth winner for her Triple Crown champion freshman sire (by Pioneerof the Nile) when she scored here in a game debut performance. The homebred, overlooked in the large 12-horse field at 8-1, tucked along the rail behind the early pace as the leaders ticked off fractions of :24.11 and :47.48. Around the far turn jockey Corey Lanerie set the bay into drive and she closed relentlessly down the lane, prevailing by a neck over favored Swanage (English Channel). The victress is a half-sister to a yearling filly by Verrazano and filly by Connect born this past season. All four of American Pharoah’s winners have won on turf, including Maven, who broke his maiden first time out on the Aqueduct dirt before annexing the G3 Prix du Bois in France. Sales history: $335,000 RNA Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $15,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart. O/B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC (KY); T-Ben Colebrook. The post Another Turf Winner for American Pharoah at Ellis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Golden Horn (GB) was off the mark as a sire on Friday evening when his daughter West End Girl (GB) took Haydock’s Longines Irish Champions Weekend EBF Fillies’ Novice S. Sent off at 17-2, the bay had one behind early but stayed on to gain the lead a furlong from home and score by 1 1/4 lengths from Fraternity (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). 4th-Haydock, £11,000, Alw, 7-5, 2yo, f, 7f 37yT, 1:31.09, g/f. WEST END GIRL (GB) (f, 2, Golden Horn {GB}–Free Rein {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $8,945. *1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Mr A D Spence & Mr M B Spence; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Mark Johnston. 95,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT. The post Golden Horn Off the Mark At Haydock appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It was not long ago that horses from Japan appeared in American stakes races about as often as Congressional elections roll around. Yet so far in 2019, runners from Japan have been involved in American races at an unparalleled rate. View the full article

The winner of the $700,000 GIII Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, which is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, Sept. 7 will have a shot at an additional $1 million is that horse goes on to win Keeneland’s Oct. 5 GIII Woodford S. and the Nov. 2 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. “The bonus was Ron Winchell’s idea,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’ Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Getting our first Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ race is a very big deal. Ron wanted Kentucky Downs to do something to show how important this race is to us and our appreciation for being selected. The bonus also emphasizes and promotes Kentucky racing overall by tying it into Keeneland’s Oct. 5 Woodford and brings international attention to horse racing’s fastest growing and exciting division–turf sprinters.” The post KY Downs Offers Turf Sprint Bonus Opportunity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Churchill Downs spring meet saw positive results with record purses, large fields and bigger payouts for bettors. Purses were raised to a record $32.2 million during the 38-day meet that ran from April 27 to June 29, which was a 44.7% or $9.9 million increase from last year’s $22.2 million. Spring Meet prize-money for horsemen averaged $846,393 daily compared to $584,796 in 2018. When excluding the lucrative Kentucky Derby week purse offerings, $601,408 was paid daily over the final eight weeks of the meet versus $408,796 last year. The average purse per race was $86,459 compared to last season’s $59,737. “As promised, our investment into Derby City Gaming is paying immediate dividends and directly benefiting the city of Louisville and Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Kevin Flanery, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We’ve improved our state’s valuable horse racing and agriculture industry with lucrative rewards for horsemen. The result was a thriving and ultra-competitive racing product with more entries and high-quality horses that appealed to bettors and horseplayers nationwide.” Churchill Downs lured 3,148 starters for its 372 races for an average of 8.5 horses per race, an 8.8% increase from the 7.8 starters-per-race average at the 2018 Spring Meet. With increased purses, quality and field size, all-sources wagering on the spring meet races soared to $499.8 million, a $51 million jump from 2018’s $448.8 million. The average $2 win payoff during the spring meet was $13.52 compared to $10.92 in 2018, a 23.8% increase. Also, there were double-digit profit gains for bettors in most all other betting pools, including average $2 exacta payouts, which were up 49% from $72.62 in 2018 to $108.22 this year. Corey Lanerie topped all jockeys with 43 wins, while Steve Asmussen led the trainer standings with 28 victories. The owner title was a three-way tie between Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Calumet Farm and Maggi Moss, who each had six wins. The post Positive Results for Churchill Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

William Hill says the government’s decision to cut the maximum stake at fixed-odds betting terminals is the reason it will close 700 betting shops across the UK starting later this year. A statement from the company read, “this follows the government’s decision to reduce the maximum stake on B2 gaming products to £2 on April 1 2019. Since then the company has seen a significant fall in gaming-machine revenues, in line with the guidance given when the government’s decision was announced in May 2018.” A British Horseracing Authority spokesperson said, “Although today’s news is broadly in line with previous announcements, we would like to express our sympathy to those whose roles have been placed at risk by William Hill’s decision. We will continue to focus our energies on working with the betting industry to develop a future partnership based on social responsibility and mutual interest.” William Hill in March reported a pre-tax loss of £721.9-million in 2018 compared with a profit of £146.5 million the previous year, after it took an £882.8 million hit on its retail operations in light of the FOBT stake reduction. In its most recent trading update since the stake cut came into effect, William Hill said gaming net revenues dropped 15% in the 17 weeks to Apr. 30, with wider retail turnover down 7%. The post William Hill To Close 700 Shops appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

WinStar Farm has been a major player in the stallion ranks for many years now. Included among the leading sires the Kentucky farm stands or has stood are Distorted Humor, More Than Ready, Pioneerof the Nile, and Tiznow. The WinStar stallion division has four first-season yearling sires currently in the barn, all graded stakes winners whose first weanlings were well-received in the commercial market in 2018. Three of the young sires stand for $15,000 or less: Outwork (Uncle Mo), Speightster (Speightstown), and Tourist (Tiznow). Outwork started making headlines early as Uncle Mo’s very first winner as a sire. Uncle Mo, of course, would go on to be the leading freshman sire in 2015 with grade I-winning juveniles Nyquist and Gomo, as well as a plethora of other early successes. Outwork would become Uncle Mo’s third grade I winner from that first crop when he took the Wood Memorial a few weeks before Nyquist added the GI Kentucky Derby. “We believe [Outwork] has a great potential as a stallion,” said Sean Tugel, WinStar’s director of bloodstock services, citing Outwork’s debut win as a 2-year-old at Keeneland in April going 4 1/2 furlongs. The bay then came back at three to capture the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial. “We’re really looking forward to seeing him pass on that early speed that he had,” continued Tugel, “and watching his offspring probably mature and being able to go that route of ground and carry that speed. “He’s a big, beautiful horse; he stands about 17 hands. Very well-balanced, very much like his sire and being that he was that big, and that fast early, gives us a lot of excitement for the future with his offspring.” Tugel said the early indications are Outwork is throwing a definite type of horse. “They stand over plenty of ground, they all have lots of leg just like he does. They’re nice, free-moving horses, very intelligent horses.” It also doesn’t hurt that Outwork’s dam, Nonna Mia (Empire Maker), is better than a half-sister to Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile, by Empire Maker), one of the current leading second-crop sires. How often we’ve seen individual families account for more than one successful sire. Speaking of families, they don’t come much deeper than Speightster‘s. His unraced dam is a full-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and U.S. champion Dance Smartly (Danzig) and a half-sister to late leading sire Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector). Speightster’s third dam is blue hen No Class (Nodouble), whose sire sons included Sky Classic (Nijinsky II) and Regal Classic (Vice Regent). {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"First Yearlings for Tourist, Outwork, Speightster","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/345954258.sd.mp4?s=c646f3c48b8d7544645904145bf0aba4a8e438e9&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/345769925.sd.mp4?s=bbf3d9a0c1b0d47240e69a80381542b1ee6947aa&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} “Speightster was a homebred,” said Tugel, “and from the beginning, he was always one of the best horses in his crop that we had here. That’s why we chose to keep him. We’re very excited about that depth of pedigree that he brings.” The chestnut nabbed ‘TDN Rising Star‘ status when he broke his maiden at first asking at Keeneland, then went on to be unbeaten in three starts as a 3-year-old, including in Belmont’s GIII Dwyer S. Soon after, he was sidelined with an ankle chip that needed to be removed. “Unfortunately, he was a horse that we didn’t get to see his full potential,” said Tugel. “The training accident at Payson Park in between his 3- and 4-year-old career set him back. He made one start after that, but unfortunately he wasn’t the same horse after that. But he was a horse that had extreme potential, and he has one of the best pedigrees in the stud book. “In his brief career we got to see that he had dominating ability, and it’s a real shame we didn’t get to see [more of] it but I think we’ll get to see it in his sons and daughters.” Tugel mentioned a tremendous amount of support for Speightster in the breeding shed from both breeders who seek to race and those who seek to sell. “He’s a horse that has the numbers to compete with the higher stud fee horses,” said Tugel. “Obviously he’s producing the physicals as well. And he had that support from the syndication that is very important to get a horse off on the right foot.” Last but not least is Tourist, a horse who had a stellar career winning or placing in seven grade I events, but who saved his most spectacular performance for the last time he set foot on a racetrack. In the 2016 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, Tourist ran a hole in the wind, getting the mile in 1:31.71. It not only set the stakes record for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, but it was also the fastest GI mile performance in history. “He was all race horse,” said Tugel. “This horse made lots of starts; he was extremely competitive in all of his races. He ran against the best over three years and set track records himself. “He’s a horse that also ran in the Breeders’ Cup Mile three years in a row, which is quite impressive as well, starting as a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old and breaking through as a 5-year-old, so for him to retain that form over three long seasons of racing is quite an accomplishment and I think that’s something a lot of breeders need to take notice of.” Interestingly, much has been made this year of GI Preakness winner War of Will (War Front) having a supposed “turf” pedigree, but failing to win in several tries on the lawn and instead excelling when switched to dirt. Tourist was the opposite. With a “dirt” pedigree, he was given four attempts to break his maiden on the main track but never did get that initial win until he was switched to the grass, where his career soon broke through to the top level. “The beautiful thing about him is it’s a dirt pedigree but he also did some of his best running on the turf,” said Tugel, “so that versatility especially in the American market now where it’s almost 50/50 turf and dirt racing, we wouldn’t expect him to only throw turf. We think he’ll also be able to throw high-level dirt horses, so having that versatility is going to really open him up for every region of racing here in America.” Like his own sire, Tiznow, Tourist’s foals tend to resemble him. “He’s throwing horses that kind of represent him; they all have a little bit of flash,” said Tugel. “They’re nice, strong horses, they have plenty of bone, they have nice muscle to them.” And like Speightster, Tourist was a homebred for WinStar by one of farm’s own stallions. “Tiznow and Speighstown are two horses that certainly we have a long legacy that we’ve got to thank them for over the years here,” said Tugel. “And we’re hoping both of these sons by them can hopefully carry on that legacy and help take the next generations of WinStar stallions to where their sires are.” The post Three of WinStar’s First-Yearling Sires: Outwork, Speightster, & Tourist appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

While the favorites for July 6 Vodacom Durban July (G1) are well drawn, their trainers have some others concerns heading into Africa's iconic racing event. View the full article

If the betting is to be believed, Saturday’s G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown is there for the taking for Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and if she wins at odds-on she will be joining an elite club which contains recent heroes Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), So You Think (NZ), Sea the Stars (Ire), Hawk Wing, Nashwan and Dancing Brave who justified that kind of supreme confidence. With the tally that she boasts, there seems nothing for her followers to fear but this is just a starting point for Khalid Abdullah’s unrelenting 5-year-old and this race does not generally play to the strengths of returning winners of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. In recent times, there has been only one Arc hero who has tried to follow up here and that was the same operation’s Workforce (GB) (King’s Best), who came off second best to the aforementioned So You Think in 2011. “It’s like everything, she’s got a campaign in front of her and it’s a question of balance,” commented the owner-breeder’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “All being well, I’m sure John [Gosden] and Prince Khalid will be looking at the King George next.” So You Think’s connections have their best opportunity yet to upstage Enable in Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has a race-fitness and sharpness advantage over her great rival having won three starts in Ireland culminating in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh on May 26. Like So You Think, she was runner-up in Royal Ascot’s G1 Prince of Wales’s S. on June 19 and her subsequent well-being has forced Aidan O’Brien into running her. Her defeat at the hands of the division leader Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) there stands up to close inspection and she makes up a strong challenge from the fillies and mares in a contest that surely will begin to evolve in their favour. “We were going to give her a break after Ascot, but she came out of the race very well,” her trainer said. “With the autumn in mind, she’s going to have to have a break sometime and it’s very possible it could be after this.” One reason not to back Enable at cramped odds is the fact that Sir Michael Stoute, who holds the joint-record of six winners, has two engaged. Cheveley Park Stud’s impressive G3 Brigadier Gerard S. winner Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) is joined by Shadwell’s May 18 G1 Lockinge S. scorer Mustashry (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}) and both have valid claims over a course-and-distance at which they have both been successful. In the latter’s case, it was in last year’s Listed Gala S., while Regal Reality overcame concerning antics in the preliminaries to overwhelm his rivals including the subsequent G3 La Coupe scorer Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) in the May 23 Brigadier Gerard. Regal Reality is a tricky customer according to the stud’s managing director Chris Richardson. “He had a ‘moment’ that evening, but things slightly went against him as far as he was concerned,” he explained. “He’s a horse who likes routine and on that occasion he was being asked to come into the paddock at a moment there was a horse coming out and it just upset his rhythm. If you change his routine at home, including on the gallops, it can be the same but he’s hugely talented and it did not affect him once the race got under way.” Stoute added, “Physically he is going the right way. He’s got a bit to find off his rating, but I like the way he is progressing. He just can be a little erratic en route to the gate, but I think we have got on top of him. He is just being a bit cheeky.” Mustashry has to put a rare unplaced effort behind him, having been seventh in the June 18 G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, but Stoute is expecting him to bounce back. “He disappointed me slightly,” he said. “He wasn’t at his very best, didn’t seem to really fire but his weight loss was minimal. He’s a competitor and loves doing what he does.” Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s racing manager Angus Gold hinted that the ground may have been to blame for his off-day. “Michael has been happy with the horse since Ascot, where he felt the ground was just a bit easy for him,” he said. “He has always wanted a little bit further than a mile, he got away with it in the Lockinge as he’d had a run and the others hadn’t.” Also on the Sandown card, the G3 Coral Charge over five furlongs sees a heavy 3-year-old presence with Susan Roy’s Garrus (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) taken on by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy). The former makes his debut for Charlie Hills following the retirement of Jeremy Noseda and he looked a sprinter on the up when winning the Listed Westow S. over this trip at York last time on May 16. “He got a nice form boost since he last ran and he seems a very straightforward horse,” Hills said, referring to the subsequent efforts of the Westow second and third Shades of Blue (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Soldier’s Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), with the former winning the Listed Prix Hampton and the latter–who was penalised at York–third in the G1 King’s Stand S. “He’s been good since he’s been with us. He’s got a lovely temperament.” Haydock’s feature is the G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks, where William Haggas and John Gosden account for two runners apiece and two-thirds of the field. The former trainer has Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum’s May 25 G3 Bronte Cup winner Dramatic Queen (Kitten’s Joy) and Yvonne Jacques’s June 8 G3 Pinnacle S. scorer Klassique (GB) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). “I can’t really split them,” Haggas admitted. “I gave Danny [Tudhope] the choice and it took him a long time to choose Klassique. She would probably prefer slower ground and the other probably wants further, so we shall see. They are both very genuine, try like hell and really get stuck in.” Gosden’s duo is headed by the Bronte Cup runner-up Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said, “She’s lightly-raced still. She was very hot in her early days, but now has a very good attitude for racing. This would have been the obvious race had she won at York, so there was no reason not to come. I don’t think coming back in trip will be a problem.” The post All Eyes On Enable In Coral-Eclipse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Twenty geldings sourced from Europe, Australia and New Zealand went through the ring at Sha Tin on Friday for the July edition of the Hong Kong International Sale. They brought an aggregate of HK$48.8-million (US$6.3-million/£4.9-million/€5.6-million), an average of HK$2.44-million (US$313,142/£249,030/€277,651) and a median of HK$2.3-million (US$295,175/£234,742/€261,721). Topping trade was a 3-year-old son of Kodiac (GB) sourced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the 2017 Baden-Baden September Yearling Sale for €200,000. He is a half-brother to the GII Mac Diarmida H. winner Ramazutti (Honor Grades), and was bought by Johnson Chen for HK$4.8-million (US$616,016/£489,896/€546,199). The next-highest price fell to a son of Frankel (GB), who was a HK$4.5-million (US$577,515/£459,277/€512,062) purchase by Vincent To Wai Keung. He was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for €300,000 out of the 2017 Arqana August Yearling Sale from Monceaux and is out of the dual Group 3 winner Noelani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), a full-sister to G1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Namid (GB). Sons of Darci Brahma (NZ) and Choisir (Aus) were the next dearest, fetching HK$3.5-million (US$449,179/£357,216/€398,270) and HK-3-million (US$385,010/£306,185/€341,375), respectively. Two sons of Dark Angel made HK$2.7-million (US$346,509/£275,566/€307,237): first, a bay gelding sourced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the Goffs UK August Yearling Sale at Doncaster for £250,000. He is out of the unraced Snowfields (Ire) (Raven’s Pass), herself a half-sister to listed winner Army Of Angels (Ire) (King’s Best) and to the dam of G1 Cheveley Park S. and GI Nearctic S. winner Serious Attitude (Ire) (Mtoto {GB}). He was later followed by another son of Dark Angel who had been a 270,000gns yearling at Tattersalls Book 1. He is out of Handana (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}), a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Seal Of Approval (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) and from the Aga Khan family of dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Also making HK$2.7-million was an Australian-bred son of Zoffany who had been a A$125,000 yearling from the Inglis Classic sale, and a son of Eurozone (Aus) who was a A$90,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate. Andrew Harding, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Racing, said, “We are very pleased with the results tonight. The sale was well-supported by owners and I think they got good value, which is important as our sales are all about providing opportunities for our owners. Overall, the results met our expectations: the average of HK$2.44 million is healthy and in the current market it was a very good result.” The post Son Of Kodiac Tops Hong Kong Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Churchill Downs ended its Spring Meet with record purses, an 11.4% increase in all-sources wagering, and an 8.8% increase in average field size to 8.5 starters per race. View the full article

Second quarter purses are up a robust 9.17% but wagering still lags 3% compared with the same quarter of 2018. View the full article

A field of 10 will go postward in the GIII Kent S. over the Delaware Park turf Saturday, with Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s Solidify (Tapizar) the lone graded stakes winner in the group. The bay colt, a debut winner over the synthetic at Woodbine last September, added the GIII Grey S. at that oval Oct. 21, defeating subsequent GI Belmont S. winner Sir Winston (Awesome Again). He returned from eight months on the sidelines to finish third in his first turf outing in the June 1 Tale of the Cat S. at Monmouth Park last time out. While Tale of the Cat winner Standard Deviation (Curlin) tackles Grade I company in the GI Belmont Derby Saturday, the race’s runner-up Empire of War (Declaration of War) will look to move up in the Kent. The bay colt won last year’s Awad S. over the Aqueduct turf. He was third in the Apr. 20 Woodhaven S. before finishing two lengths adrift of Standard Deviation and 1 1/2 lengths to the good of Solidify at Monmouth Park. The well-related Award Winner (Ghostzapper) steps up to stakes company for the first time in the Kent. The Amerman homebred, a half-brother to multiple Grade I winner Oscar Performance (Kitten’s Joy) and multiple graded winner Oscar Nominated (Kitten’s Joy), is coming off a nine-furlong allowance win at Churchill May 19. The post 10 Go Postward in Kent appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

D J Stable and Cash is King’s Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) did little wrong in 2018, capping a championship season with a 5 1/2-length victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but the sophomore has been unable to find the winner’s circle this term. The gray filly opened the year with a fourth-place effort in the Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. and was third in the Apr. 6 GI Ashland S. before finishing sixth in the May 3 GI Kentucky Oaks last time out. Trained by John Servis, she will look to regain the winning thread when she goes postward in Saturday’s GIII Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park. John O’Hara’s Avalina (Tale of Ekati), trained by Danny Gargan, will be looking for her third straight win while making her graded stakes debut in the Delaware Oaks. The dark bay filly romped by 7 3/4 lengths in a Apr. 26 optional claimer at Belmont and is coming off an 8 1/2-length victory in the Parx Spring Oaks last time out May 20. Denlea Park and Kent Spellman’s Fashion Faux Pas (Flatter) is a last-out winner over the Delaware track, having stormed home a front-running 14 1/2-length winner of the June 5 Light Hearted S. for trainer Arnaud Delacour. The post Jaywalk Looks to Get Back on Track in Delaware Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John McCririck, one of British racing’s most familiar faces on television broadcast for more than a quarter century, died Friday in London aged 79. McCririck–known as ‘Big Mac’ to many in the racing world–was an unmissable character with his deerstalker hat, sideburns and cigar, and thrived at the heart of what he called the ‘betting jungle.’ A statement released by his family said, “award-winning journalist, broadcaster and for many years the face of British horse racing, John McCririck, passed away at a London hospital on Friday, July 5 aged 79. “John’s interest in horse racing and betting began at Harrow where he was the school bookie. On leaving he worked for an illegal street bookmaker then legally on-course where he learned the art of tic-tac, clerking bets and making a book. John cut his teeth in racing journalism on ‘Formindex‘, a tipping sheet otherwise known as ‘The Golden Guide‘. He went on to write for the Sporting Life where he won British Press Awards, ‘Specialist Writer of the Year’ and ‘Campaigning Journalist of the Year.’ “John joined ITV in 1981 for Shergar’s Derby then became a household name as part of the Channel 4 Racing team when they took over coverage of the sport in 1984. His flamboyant broadcasting style from the heart of the betting ring proved extremely popular with racing fans and beyond. John continued to work for Channel 4 Racing until 2013, as well as satellite channel At The Races. In this time he transcended the world of racing, appearing on numerous mainstream TV news and light entertainment programmes including Question Time, The Weakest Link, Celebrity Wife Swap and Celebrity Big Brother in 2005 and 2010. Despite suffering ill health in recent months, John continued to make several TV and radio appearances. He is survived by Jenny, his wife of 48 years. His funeral will be private.” The British Horseracing Authority was among those to pay tribute to McCririck, tweeting: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of John McCririck. Throughout a lengthy and colourful career, one thing was always clear–his enduring passion and love for the sport of horse racing. He was a recognisable figure and resonated with the wider public. Our condolences go to his family.” McCririck’s former Channel 4 colleague and champion jockey John Francome said, “He was eccentric, incredibly generous–he was brilliant at his job. He was great company and I loved him. I knew he’d been ill for a while. I feel very sorry for Jenny as they were a great team. “He reached outside the sport–the two names that were mentioned by people outside racing were Frankie Dettori and Big Mac. He had a persona for TV, he was nothing like what you saw on screen, he was a lovely man.” Frankie Dettori shared Francome’s sentiments. “I met him for the first time when I was very young. I was 16 and I was an apprentice. He was a big part of my racing life since I started,” Dettori said. “He was very flamboyant and controversial, but I always got on really well with him. We did a few things together and he will be missed. “He did put on a bit of a show, but underneath it all he worked very hard and was very knowledgeable about racing. He was a larger than life character. I’m very sad for Jenny, his wife.” Multiple champion jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy said, “John was just about the most recognisable figure in horse racing when I came to England; people had only just heard of Frankie Dettori, so it was John or Lester Piggott. That says a lot about him to say that he wasn’t a trainer, owner or jockey. He had attitude, he had a voice and said what he thought, he wasn’t frightened of upsetting somebody. I don’t think I was ever on the end of one of his jockey bashings–thankfully. “There’s a good chance in this day and age, with everything needing to be so politically correct, he might not have been the great character on TV now that he was in the 80s and 90s. You don’t get away now with saying what Big Mac or John Francome did, so for that reason it’s a lot harder now and more restrictive than then, but back in the day that team did a great job of representing horse racing. They made it as easy and enjoyable to watch as possible, but the world is changing. “He was very good at promoting the sport, he was a very bright man, well-educated and, while he had an opinion, what you have to say is he tried to be constructive. He was a punters’ man, that’s what he was there for.” The post Broadcaster McCririck Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article